The Grey Area
by Fircepotato
Summary: Vera was shocked at how many of the crowd knelled. She stayed where she was heart racing hoping that she wasn't the only one who had refused his command, but there was no one. No one who was willing to do what was right no one who was willing to say no to this magical bull shit maker of a bully. At first she was scared of him, now she was angry. Loki/OC later on Loki/Sigyn
1. Men like him, People like Vera

It was a beautiful night in Germany, streets were busy with people bustling about the Königsstraße. and one particular girl began to find herself falling in love with the city she chose to study abroad in. She took a deep breath and just stood in the middle of it all not caring to notice the people who scoffed at her for standing in the middle of the walk way.

Vera's green eyes looked up and stared at the beautiful black night sky then quickly darted back to the buildings that surrounded the quaint area. That's when she saw the museum, as soon as her eyes met the beautiful building she began to move towards it almost instinctively.

She pushed her rusty blonde hair out of the way of her gaze as she stopped herself a ways from in front of the building, close enough to see it but far enough to still be able to take the whole thing in. Vera smiled as she began to wonder what kind of amazing art such an immaculate building could have waiting inside it.

Vera shook the thought out of her head and started to walk away only to be stopped by the view of the swarm of well-dressed people fleeing the place. What was going on? These people looked terrified, her instincts told her to flee but instead she found herself trying to talk to them as they rushed past her.

"What's going on?" She asked openly to anyone who would listen, but they just kept running away from the museum in terror. She slapped her forehead in realization of her non- German questioning. She paused for a moment before grabbing a woman's arm and speaking,

"Was ist los?"

"Ein Mann ist aufgetaucht und hat Heinrich Schaffer angegriffen." Vera translated her words as she went, ("A man came and attacked Heinrich Schaffer,") "Die Wachmänner konnten ihn nicht aufhalten. Rennen Sie!" ("The guards could not stop him, Run!")

Vera let the woman go instantly "Danke" she said thanking the woman as she continued off in her flee of horror.

As soon as she looked back at the building Vera could see a single man calmly walking out. His presence was least to say menacing. In almost an instant Vera could feel an overwhelming sense of fear from just his gaze alone. He had on a funny gold helmet and green robes, if he wasn't so threating to her she would have instantly laughed at the man's strange appearance, but thankfully Vera knew better.

She stayed where she was completely drawn to the man but at the same time utterly terrified of him. Only when she heard sirens coming from her right did she turn her gaze away, and in the moment she did, a blue light attacked it causing the car to flip it's self over and avert her attention back at the man who sent it. It was as if he wanted her gaze only on him. She felt herself back up as he approached closer to her.

"Kneel before me"

The panicking crowd behind her let out a cry and she swiftly turned around surprised to see him standing there, and then back again to her front to see the original still there. "Impossible" she muttered under her breath, but Vera was only shown how wrong she was as more and more people responded to the many doppelgangers that surrounded them.

"I said KNEEL!"

Vera was shocked at how many of the crowd kneeled. She stayed where she was, turning heart racing hoping that she wasn't the only one who had refused his command, but there was no one. No one who was willing to do what was right no one who was willing to say no to this magical bull shit maker of a bully. At first she was scared of him, but at that moment and anger began to build inside her.

"YOU!" He moved his golden blue lighted scepter pointing at the young woman. In an instance he had disappeared and reappeared in front of the determined girl. She blinked and took a step back feeling her heart beat race.

"Are you not afraid?" His voice lowered menacing still but if you listened close enough you could hear a slight edge of curiosity hidden within it. Vera remained silent her eyes, which had been locked on the ground slowly moved up and met the emerald pair that waited for her. "Do not make me repeat myself human."

"I…" She hesitated "I.. would be a fool not to." Her voice was quiet soft it was obvious that she had still been frightened of him.

"What was that?" His smirk widened, his voice had been echoing through his many copies, it was now becoming apparent that hers had been too. "Say it so the rest of your kind can hear you!" Vera's eyes quickly narrowed at his demeaning request.

"I said, I WOULD BE A FOOL NOT TO!" She rose her voice to a yell determined to beat her fear of him. Her confidence was beginning to rise as her anger began to make its self-known to not only him but to Vera, who had no idea why this man had gotten such a rise out of her.

"Then why, may I ask are you still standing." He began to circle her hand behind his back, twirling his staff like spear. The interest he had in her actions seemed to be leaking out of every word he spoke; as if he had not suspect someone to be so bold as not to bow to him, like it was a strange thought.

Vera bit her lip suppressing the urge to say what she had been thinking, to which the golden green man had smirked, he had thought she was nervous to answer and would fall back down. Just that reaction alone made Vera snap. Quickly she forgot all about the reasons why she should have filtered what she was saying and let out every thought that crossed her mind at the moment.

"Because you're an arrogant ass who has no reason to try telling other people what to do." Her speech became rapid and harsh, and the sudden change in tone caused him to stop in front of her no longer smirking. "Not to mention I have a little common sense to know not to bow to someone I know nothing about."

He smiled at that, again in a menacing way and stepped towards Vera. "I am Loki future King of your world and everything that inhabits it. " He raised his golden stick and pointed it at her in a threating kind of way. "And if you do not bow, I can easily make an example of you."

Vera gulped and broke the eye contact she had with him as he chuckled at her response. Fear had begun to creep its way back, dominating what little courage she had managed to muster. She looked around at the people in her surrounding, but they did not look back. Suddenly she felt a twinge of cold metal under her chin forcing her to look back up at Loki.

"What is your name human?" He asked, curiosity slipping its way back into his voice. His emerald eyes seemed to dance with anticipation of what he had to say next to the naïve girl.

"Vera Haworth." She said hesitantly afraid of his sudden eagerness, and twistedly calm expression.

"Vera, it means faith doesn't it?" His tone changed to an almost alluring tone as if he was trying to talk to her into something. Her expression changed to confusion at the sudden salesmen like approach to things. Was he going to try to convince her to kneel to him or buy a used car?

"It's fitting, but you should put that faith in something else," He said snidely before gesturing to the mass among them. "Look at everyone else how easily they know their place. See how quickly they learn how fleeting the idea of freedom is, how it chokes them. They now know individuality is a curse, your kind was meant for this. Meant to wait for my coming and follow my every move, be it through fear or admiration of my plans." He turned his attention back to her. "You said it yourself you'd be a fool not to."

Vera's hand went into fists, and her teeth clenched themselves together. His arrogant smile and attitude towards her, no not just her, her people; this man had been talking about using fear and twisted ideals to shape mankind into his world. Shaping her friends family, anyone who passed her by in the street where just his for the taking? Bull shit. Vera took a long breath in trying to calm herself down a bit before saying what she knew she had too.

"You remind me of a few men."

"There are no men like me." He said returning his expression to a bored one; he seemed to be getting tired of her "ignorance".

"Hitler, Stalin, Castro, Lenin, Pol Pot." Her expression hardened. "I have a feeling you aren't from around here so I'll fill you in. All of these men were monsters, killing and starving thousands in the idea of a better nation, when all they really want is power over everyone. Power that they will do anything to get their hands on."

"There will always be men like you, those who crave power, and make changes that kill millions in the name for that imaginary better world." She stared into his eyes showing no fear, hazel dominating Emeralds. "Men who throw away the lives of innocents without looking back, are cowards. Men like you are a plague to everyone human or whatever the heck you are." Vera stepped towards him no longer fearful and let the words just pour out her mouth.

"There will always be men like you, but there will always be people like me who are willing to stand." Her voice was unforgiving, and every feeling of hate she had for the man in front of her made its self-known through her tone. "I am not afraid to stand up for what's right even in the face of what's wrong, I will not just look away while others are being attacked, and I am not about to kneel to any person that threatens me." She crossed her hands in front of her to accentuate her point. " Even if my kind is fewer than your there will be another like me after I die, ready to take a stand for what's right. Voice's like mine are never silenced!"

Vera stared at Loki's eyes only to see them move to he left. She turned her head surprised to see an elderly man stand up and give Vera an approving nod. She smiled and nodded back thanking him for his courage. She slowly looked back at Loki who had his weapon raised at her.

"Do you care not if you die?" He said looking at her as if unable to comprehend her courage. She smiled at him as one of her favorite book quotes of all time came into mind.

"To die would be an awfully big adventure." She said opening her arms getting ready to accept it, only to be surprised at how Loki smiled at what she had said and begun to laugh. She blinked and stared at him puzzled as it turned into a maddened giggle.

"I have yet to meet a human like you" He said after a while grinning at her, "I think a better fate would be more suiting for a mortal of your kind ." His staff glowed blue as he raised it up seemingly aiming for her heart. Her eyes widened as he began to strike, only to be even more surprised to see a sudden flash of red white and blue in front of her while hearing a clang of metal.

Before her stood Captain America, blocking Loki's attack from hitting her and sending him flying back on the ground. The Captain gave her a wink before walking away from her and towards him.

"This little Lady is right you know. The last time I was in Germany I saw a man stand above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."

A super hero had defended her, not just any super hero, the_ first_ super hero. Vera placed her hand on her head and rubbed it trying to recover the little sanity she had left.

"The soldier," Loki's voice drew her eyes back to him cautious, still fearing the "fate" he had in mind for her earlier. "The man out of time." He smiled as he stood back up as if it was just a miss step. She found herself looking for a way out but the doppelgangers still stood guard, some eyeing Vera, some eyeing Captain.

"I'm not the one who's out of time." As Captain spoke a helicopter like jet dropped down behind us pulling a gun out bellow it. A woman's voice came out of its speakers.

"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down." It was calm cool and concise, Vera found herself wishing she had the same amount of control.

A wave of blue energy flashed past her and at the jet bringing Vera's thoughts back to the problem that was at hand. The air craft easily dodged the attack, Vera looked over at Captain in time to see him toss his shield, and attack Loki while the crowd ran amuck. Vera stayed put against her better instinct and decided to watch them fight.

It seemed like they had been dancing they moved so quickly dodging one another and trying to lay a blow. She was entranced; they made it look so easy, could she ever do something like that?

"Ma'am you should go," Captain's yell at her woke her from her daze. "It's not safe for you!"

"She has a way of stepping where she doesn't belong it seems" Loki said snickering at Vera.

Vera frowned, and crossed her arms still refusing to move and make Loki think she was a coward. Captain stopped to look at her again but as he tried to yell once more for her to leave he was interrupted by a jab from Loki that sent the flag wearing man flying. She bit her lip, maybe it was time to go, but a doppelganger appeared to her right and grabbed her arm stopping her from leaving.

"You wouldn't want to miss the show now would you?" She stared at him in horror before looking back at the real Loki and Captain. As he was getting up Loki grabbed his head and tried to force it down.

"Kneel" He said viciously.

"Not today" Captain said kicking him sending him back.

The fighting continued and Vera watched seeming she had been forced to now. She looked up to see the jet circling around seemingly trying to get a hold of Loki. And out of nowhere a rock song began to play out of its PA system.

Both Loki's and Captain looked up out of curiosity and stopped fighting. Soon enough Vera saw Iron Man come down from the sky and blast Loki with an attack sending the evil man back to the ground, and causing the doppelganger to disappear. She watched in awe as Tony pulled out all of his weapons and pointed them at him. Vera slowly walked to where him and Captain were solely to be able to stand behind them for protection.

Loki slowly sat up his eyes darting to her and then Stark, before the tech genius could make his snide remark. "Make a move Reindeer games." He said sarcastically. To Vera's surprise he backed down and his golden armor disappeared in a golden aura. As it did Vera found herself stepping closer to captain who gave her a small nod that is was okay. Loki rose his hands in surrender as Iron Man put all his weapons down.

"Mr. Stark," Captain said nodding to him.

"Captain" Stark replied back before turning his attention to the small woman cowering behind him.

"Who's she?"

"She stood up to me" Loki spoke up for her, "In a rather annoyingly influential way."

"I can't say I know, ma'am could I ask for your name?" He said turning to Vera and giving her a small smile after ignoring Loki.

"Vera Haworth." She said meekly avoiding Loki's gaze.

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Tony asked himself.

"I was one of the kids who were given the chance to earn a scholarship to study all-expense paid to a university of my choosing." She said smiling at him. "The Stark Scholarship, you picked my essay out of thousands sir."

"Ah that's why, nice to actually meet you then, I think Pepper actually got me to read yours." he said bluntly "Just tell me you didn't pick a liberal arts degree."

Vera couldn't help but laugh at that. "No I just chose the arts, metal work mostly." That was what her essay was about she could remember writing it just yesterday, bending fashioning something and making it your own, she described her process in a delicate detail which she assumed must have been what attracted Tony to it.

"Why are you still here though?" Tony asked her breaking her flash back.

"I stayed for the fight out of curiosity," she said quietly watching as Loki's smile widened at her regain of panic. "And when I tried to leave I was well grabbed, for that I don't know if I want to know why." She found herself stepping closer again to the Captain, who was now glaring at Loki.

His smile fell as he saw her only inches away from the brightly colored man, and eyes narrowed before he looked back at Stark.

"Shouldn't we be off then?"

**Hi guys! Ummm so this was basically inspired by what I think I would do if I was there when things went down in Germany, I just don't think I would have bowed to him even if I was terrified, but that's just me. Anyway I'm not sure if I'll continue this or not, hell I'm not too sure of what would happen if I continued. Do you think Loki would develop feelings for Vera, or would he just want to torture her and then kill her? Do you think she could go off and join S.H.E.I.L.D. or should she be on her own.**

**Please let me know what you guys think, and any hints or ideas of where the story should go next would be awesome, if I wind up picking a plot given to me I'd totally give you credit and would be more than happy to consult with you for the rest of the fic. PLEASE REVIEW!**

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Thank so much to the person who pointed out my misspelling of Ma'am and the fact I had accidentally written in first person for a while, I write a lot and if I jump from a two things in the middle of writing them I can forget what person I'm writing in I apologize to and thank ****Akiso13 for her post informing me about it. I am almost positive I got most of them but if anyone else finds any mistakes please PM me to let me know and I will fix it and upload an edited version with your name next to it for credit.**

**EDITED COMMENT 2: As some of you already know my German wasn't exactly the best, but now it's official and pristine thanks to the lovely Ellipsis Flood. Also she pointed out that I had the wrong name for the area in which Loki attacked, again I apologize for not double checking that.**

**EDITED COMMENT 3: Found one more 1****st**** person thing, it was pretty tiny so woo! And I fixed a couple of typos and grammar mistakes.**


	2. Almost Familiar

**This is probably the quickest I've ever updated anything - hell I haven't even gotten to add this fic to my Deviant art yet. But since I got such a nice reaction from everyone and it's been read over 72 times (as of now) from people all over. I am honored to have my work read and thank everyone who favorite and reviewed this piece. Please if you haven't yet shot me a review of what you think of the first chapter I honestly crave feedback and the knowledge of what people liked and didn't like so I can improve my work.**

**And without further ado here's Chapter two! (Hey that kind of rhymed!)**

Small hands found their selves slowly and carefully molding her clay into the shape that had been stuck in her mind. A strong chin, old fashion hair style, and determined eyes set under a noble brow. Vera closed her eyes and reestablished her mental image and opened them to compare it to her piece.

She took her time molding his uniform careful to make sure the lines in the design had been straight, all while humming the tune that filled the empty workshop making it feel at home for her. Her hands then went to work on the other small details of the bust before picking it up and walking it cautiously over to the kiln.

As she walked back to her station she found herself now singing to the song and dancing a little as she walked. It had been a ska version of her favorite one hit wonder "Come on Eileen" done by Save Ferris. Eventually the song and her mini break had ended and she was forced to get back to her work.

It had been midnight a day after Vera's brush with Loki and the heroes, and she was already back to focusing on her class work. Luckily for her, her assignment this week was to create 3 pieces, two outside of her usual medium one in said medium, reflecting something that had happened to her this week.

She had already finished the background of the painting of the museum; all she had to do was paint Loki and herself standing in the crowd of kneeling people. It was a memory she wasn't egger to paint, looking back now, she was regretful of some of her word choices, and her decision to be so bold. Of course she couldn't say she completely regretted standing up to him, but she could have just stayed silent. Vera shook her head and turned to the easel she had placed it on.

She tightened her ponytail making sure her hair wouldn't get any paint on it and then rolled her sleeves back up; her shirt had already had its fair share of paint splashed onto it. Vera found herself grateful she chose to wear an old black tee instead of one of her favorite graphic tees.

As she went to get her tray of oil paints she looked around the empty room, most people here liked working last minute, and in the morning, honestly Vera couldn't help but normally follow that tactic but with the way her mind had been wrapped around the previous night. She couldn't seem to get her mind off of it so she figured she might as well recreate it. She let out a sigh and rubbed her forehead unknowingly spreading a green across it, and found herself slipping back into the thoughts of the night before.

What had he planned to do to her?

Could Tony and Steve keep him pent up where ever the hell he was being kept?

Should she be worried?

Vera slowly moved back over to her station, putting the tray of paints down absent mindedly. She stared at the emerald color and felt herself reimagining his eyes, and all of the looks he gave her. She shuddered at the thought of his look at her before Captain had showed up. Again her mix CD changed it's track to a darker yet somehow fitting song. She looked up and at the player and laughed a bit, it was Regina Spektor's "Après Moi".

"_I(oh!) must go on standing, you can't break that with which isn't yours"_

She found herself mouthing along with the words as she reached for her paint brush only to find an empty space there. Where could it have been? She blinked in confusion and instinctively checked to see if it had fallen on the floor.

"Looking for something?" Vera's eyes widened to the size of deer in headlights. She slowly made her way up to stand staring at the man who stood opposite of her work table smiling wickedly at her.

"Ho…how… are you…"

Loki's smile turned into a chastising frown as he leaned forward on the table. "Stuttering doesn't suit you dear, and you have no reason to worry, the real me is currently in meditation in your super friend's base." He held her brush out for her to take. Vera frowned and slowly took it from him as if afraid the brush would electrocute her. He waited patiently smirking at her rightful caution. He had been wearing a simple suit with a green gold trimmed scarf.

"Why are you here?" Vera asked quietly not breaking eye contact, in fear that if she had he would stab her or something else too cruel to imagine. Loki merely cocked his head to the left at her expression. "And how long have you been watching."

"Long enough to see you moving about like a mad men. I'm here to find out more about you human." He said simply as if it had been obvious from the start. "I curious as to why someone as weak as you had the courage to even think about standing up to me. You are unlike many of your kind it makes me want to examine you." He smiled as her eyes widened. "Not to mention your luck, I could have forced you to see things my way the other day but fate seems to have stepped in for you… "

"It's something my world likes to call a dance break and You mean Steve Rodgers?" Vera said before she could even think to restrain herself. Loki's head snapped back to her and he gave her a grimace she soon wouldn't be forgetting. She gulped, and dropped her eye contact. He smiled at how she reacted, and Vera had the feeling to his twisted mind this was training of some sort.

"As I was saying, you have proven yourself courageous, loyal, and wise in your own foolish ways." He began to walk around the table; Vera followed him with her eyes, feeling her heart beat get faster with each step he took. "I want, no I need to know what could have made a human like you." He stopped in front of her painting of the museum.

Vera stared at him unsure of whether to feel flattered or horrified. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Forcing me would have been the better plan." She said sighing; realizing he wasn't going to harm her made her feel a bit more relaxed.

He laughed at the comment, "It's a challenge to keep me preoccupied until I can escape," He turned to look at her flashing a mischievous grin. She only met it with a concerned look, as if saying it was pointless, her fear had disappeared with the unknown becoming now somewhat known. He had been curious about her that was all. He frowned at her before stepping away from the painting. "Do what you were doing before!" He said pointing at it as he ordered. "I must see and learn more about you before I can begin my teachings."

Vera rolled her eyes, she had to finish it but having her tell her to do it was sort of demeaning, but at the same time childish. "How about this," she said crossing her arms at him, trying to find some form of middle ground with the stubborn man, "I paint and you can ask me questions about me, in return I get to ask you questions, that way it's not boring, and you can get out my hair quicker."

She picked up her paint tray and moved over to the painting as Loki sat down across from her. He narrowed his eyes also not liking getting orders, but reluctantly nodded. Vera sighed and dipped her paint brush in the black she picked to color the people in the crowds and got to work. "Go ahead." She said reluctantly as she became sucked into in her work.

"How old are you?"

Vera sighed, he had no manners. She was going to have to change that, that's when the thought occurred to her, if he was trying to find out more about her she could do the same to him teach him a few manor while she was at it. "I'm 23," she said "But in the future know to never ask a woman for her age."

"Why is that?"

"It's considered rude here, woman typically like to hide their age with makeup or in extreme cases plastic surgery."

"Odd, wisdom comes with years, my people had been proud to answer the question well past their first century." This caused Vera to stop her work and look at him strangely, so he had not been human that answers one question. She returned to her work now starting to paint herself in.

"What are you?" She asked curiously to which he frowned.

"I am your King that is all you need to know." He said coldly turning away from her.

Vera rolled her eyes, "Not doing a good job to convince me yet." She said painting her long hair first.

"What are your interests" He said dully as if he didn't really care and was just trying to get through the basics as quick as possible.

"Well there's the whole getting a degree in the Arts thing." She said flatly. "But if you must know I enjoy brawling with magical miscreants in my spare time. Why chose the earth to conquer?" She asked before he had time to react to her slip of restraint.

He smiled at her, "because it is filled with pathetic little women who do not know their place or when to hold their tongue."

"Touché" Vera quipped moving on to paint Loki. He stared at her in confusion, she laughed a little "It means 'good one'". He seemed surprised that she laughed.

"Don't you hate me mortal?" She stared at him for a moment he hadn't seemed evil anymore, there was something deeper to him at that moment, like he hadn't been used to the idea of getting kindness from someone. It shifted her resentment a little.

"I don't really know now to be honest. I hate your attitude towards the idea of individuality, it kind of cramps ones creativity." She said bluntly, "At first you terrified me, then you spoke and you made me blind with anger, then you took interest in me and I was scared again. "

"What about now?"

Vera looked at him a tilted her head to the side, "You seem more human, or normal." She said thoughtfully as if just thinking about it as she spoke. "You're not any kinder to me but at least you aren't threatening me and actually listening. Just goes to show what you know about someone until you have a civilized chat with them I guess. Don't get me wrong though I'm not on team Loki or anything," she said waving her hand dismissively at him. "But I don't hate your guts with a firing passion or anything, you just seem, lost."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "How so?"

"It's like you've been hurt in the past or something, like you have this need to be known to have power over everyone else, but at the same time you can be calm wise and thoughtful. Not to mention your sense of word play is on par." She smiled thinking back to a book series about Greek myths. "You remind me of a character from a book named Luke. He starts off looking like a villain turning on his father, and friends, but later on you find out that he started his journey because he felt abandoned by his father Hermes." She looked at him to see his reaction he just looked shocked at her.

"Who, told you about Asgard?"

She blinked at him. "Asgard? What's Asgard?"

He looked even more confused at her and the shook it off. "Your perception is odd." He said simply before getting up and walking over to her painting. She walked away from it wiping her paint brush and tray in the nearby sink.

"Not the best, nor a travesty." He said eyeing her piece.

"Thanks" she yelled over the water not caring if he meant to offend her. "I'm not exactly what you call the perfect painter."

After a few moments of silence Vera found herself walking to the supply closet to find some metal wires to start her specialty piece, and Loki turned to her before asking, "Why did you stand up to me?"

"What?" She asked find her materials and looking back at him.

"Why did you stand up to me that night?" Vera blinked at that unsure of how to respond. She walked back over to her station looking puzzled.

"I… I don't know, you were well bullying people and I wasn't going to just let you boss me into anything." She said absentmindedly.

"Miss Haworth,"she looked up shocked to see him talk to her as a normal person, but his tone quickly changed. "If you expect me to just accept that lie then you're wrong." She frowned he was becoming the tyrant again. "Should we just rehearse it all over again?" He pushed her to the ground with just a shove.

"KNEEL!" he shouted at her, causing her to grit her teeth.

"NO!" She yelled back and spat at his feet and his frown turned into a grimace. "How's that for a reenactment." She said bitterly. He frowned and picked her up by the collar of her shirt and put his face right in front of hers.

"Why won't you just fall back like the others?" He said before snarling at her.

"It's not right!" She said glaring right back at him. Out of nowhere he started to smile and gently place her back down on her feet.

"Was that so hard?" He asked before walking out of the room leaving Vera alone to think about her actions for once.

**Okay so what did you guys think? Please be sure to tell me! I'd also love to give some credit to the person who really helped clear out my wall with the story TowerRaven13. Her amazing feedback and thoughts really helped me keep the story together. I strongly suggest you check out her story and favorites because she really knows what she's talking about.**

**Until next update!**

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Beefed up!**


	3. The conection

Vera had not gotten another visit from Loki until the next night when she was working on painting clay figure she managed to impressively form the other day. He appeared again out of nowhere holding a stolen paint brush. She shook her head and took it from him.

"We have got to stop meeting like this." She joked before continuing her work. "What do you want today? I'd prefer it if you didn't try and strangle me for answers."

Loki laughed at that "It did get you to say why, didn't it?"

"Yeah but,"

"What did it hurt?" He teased sitting in front of her.

"Do you want to see the bruise on my butt?" She said almost threatening him, she had no idea why he was acting all friendly to her. They weren't friends; they were rivals, taking in all they could about the enemy. Right? His laugh just made her all the more puzzled.

"That won't be necessary." He said, staring back at her blank gaze "I forgot how weak your kind is, it's hard to remember when you act so tough."

Vera narrowed her eyes, friendly Loki was making her on edge more than angry Loki. "What do you want?"

His expression turned to a mocking hurt look at her tone but he just kept smiling, that warm creepy smile. "Your presence."

Vera sighed and put her brush down. "Okay what is this?" she said looking into his eyes. "Another mind trick thing? Why are you being so buddy buddy?"

He blinked at me before frowning, "Were you not acting like this with me yesterday? I am only trying to make you feel more comfortable with my presence." Vera stared at him, was she? She remembered talking to him almost civilly and then out of nowhere he grabbed her tossed her on the ground and threatened her again. "I suppose throwing you was not the best of choices, but you know it was only to get an answer out of you."

Vera shook her head, "No, it was to get a rise out of me, and remind me of my place." No one would pick someone up and throw them just to get a clear answer out of them, even Loki wouldn't be that low.

He sighed, "Though it is fun watching your reaction's Vera that was not my purpose in doing so. It's the only way you really let yourself say what you feel; words are your defense in a way. If you feel endangered and you know you can do nothing against that feeling then you make sure the cause of that feeling knows your anger at it. It's an amusing, and yet annoying trait you seem to possess."

"You're doing it again!" Vera said getting up and the sound of her name coming from his lips. She stepped back and pointed at him, not caring if it was a bit rude. "You… I'm not Vera to you I'm mortal or Human or silly stupid ignorant girl."

"Is it so wrong to call you by your name?" Loki asked looking at her confused, "Or ask that you call me by mine?"

"Yes it is." Vera said shaking her head. "You made it perfectly clear I got too familiar with you by growling at me! Not to mention I hate everything you stand for, and you're trying to enslave the human race and that's wrong." Loki stayed quiet watching her with his eyes as she began to pace around the room sporadically. "I shouldn't have even been friendly with you yesterday, I just thought…."

"Thought what?" Loki asked getting up walking towards where she had stopped.

"There was something good under there, somewhere. I mean when you weren't talking about taking over the earth" She threw her hands in the air. She took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. "Now I'm not sure again, sorry I'm over reacting I guess it's just unfamiliar. I don't handle unfamiliar things well."

"My brother would have liked you." Loki said softly, looking away from her. "He's always going on about the good in me, or some rubbish like that. He's also almost as blunt as you are, but he's stronger, he can't understand anything I've been through." He looked back up at her. "But you, you understood everything in an instant. How?"

Vera blinked, surprised to hear him open up. She looked his expression over, he had been staring at her like she had been the strange one, her hair had been pulled into pigtails, and her shirt was a bit overly stained with blue paint. She shook her head and looked away from him. "I don't know, instinct I guess." She said walking back to her work only to be grabbed by Loki and pulled to face him again.

"That's not good enough" He said frowning locking his eyes on her. "There is some draw I have to you that I can't seem to move past and yet you seem to able to ignore it."

"Who says it goes both ways?" Vera said staring back, fearful of what he might do but determined to stand up for herself yet again. "What if you're just interested in me and I just want you to stop hurting people."

"No," he said smiling almost cruelly at her "It's not just me, Vera, you were able to look at me and figure out my life story in a mere second, you don't cower at me whenever you see me, and you can actually keep up with me in conversations. This is not just some acquaintanceship, my curiosity for you cannot be one sided."

"Stop it!"

"Not until you admit you feel this pull too!"

"I can't lie to you about something like that." Vera begged softly trying to appeal to his humane side, if he actually had one. He only frowned at her in return.

"Where is that courage now? Be blunt! Say how you feel!"

"You want me to say how I feel?!" Vera shouted back feeling what little filters she had for herself fade in an instant, just as he had described earlier. "Fine! I feel confused as to why you think I feel the same; you threatened me more than enough for me to hate you! But I don't Loki!" His eyes widened as she addressed him by name for the first time. "I don't know why but I feel like you can change, but you keep doing this to me trying to get me to say what I need to by force. I'm scared but only of what your reaction would be if I had said I was unsure if I wanted to be friends with you. Your trying to rule my world, how would you react?"

They stared at each other for a while, Vera's eyes had been filled with tears, she slowly used her free hand to wipe them away. "Don't do that again." She said softly to him not looking him in the eyes. She felt his hand slip down from her wrist to her palm, they had been surprisingly cold. She looked up at him slowly and he actually looked concerned of her. Then he pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her, like a mother to a crying child.

"I won't" He said softly putting his hand on her head petting it as she continued to sob. Vera felt surprisingly comfortable in his grasp it felt protective, safe. How could it be those things? HOW? She broke his grip and silently returned to her work. He followed her quietly as she began painting the statues uniform.

"I forgot how fragile you actually are." He said softly, "You always act so confident that it's hard to believe that you are just a human." She looked up at him unsure of how to respond. She bit her lip and paused before responding to the whole situation, not sure if what she was about to say would be the best.

"I…understand how you feel now." He looked up at her shocked. "When you hugged me like that I started to feel better. Maybe you're right but I can't say I'm not scared around you or that I want to have any sort of feelings for you. You're a gray area, your actions and the plans you have are wrong."

"Wrong to who?" He asked his tone was dark and almost menacing. "Help me understand your reasoning."

Vera took a breath in, "Telling me what to do in such a… forceful way like that… you saw how it affected me. Doing that to others it has the same effect maybe even a stronger one to those who aren't as morally dependent as me. Your morals are crooked shaped in the way you want to see and do, you don't easily distinguish right from wrong, just what benefits you and what doesn't."

Loki's eyes drew to the figure in front of her, "What of his morals?"

"There old fashioned, he respects everyone and shows them kindness. His morals are strong and if he thinks that what you believe in is not healthy to others than he will do what he can to stop you." She picked up the finished bust and returned it to the kiln and returned to see Loki deep in thought.

"How can you analyze and speak of other's so well, when you can't even voice your own feelings without feeling threatened?" Loki asked looking at her confused.

"I don't know, I guess my feelings are kind of like background music to me," she said stopping her work to think, "They're there and yes I do still feel them, it's just voicing my own feelings in words is more difficult because the way I feel them is different from the way someone else might look at them." She shrugged, "Plus it's never been easy for me to open up to someone." Vera left him there and went to the frame she managed to set up, the body of the figure was set up to be about as tall as a small lamp. She sighed walked over to the supply cabinet to pull out sheets of metal to begin her work.

"If I were to change," Loki's voice caused her to turn to look at him. "Or to try to and promise to be a ruler who wouldn't harm anyone would you…"

"I'd become your friend." Vera said smiling at him bringing her the sheets to her work table.

"A friend?"

"It's a start" She said leaving again only this time she grabbed her blow torch. When she walked back to her table. Loki sat quietly watching her work bending metal around the figure and then melting the pieces together, eventually she managed to create a decent looking Iron Man.

"Very life like." Loki commented breaking the silence.

"Thank you." She said as she went to get the paint out. "Wanna help me finish it?" She asked collecting the right bright red crystal blue and golden yellow acrylics.

"Aren't you worried I'd mess it up? It is your piece after all."

She put the jars on the table, and handed him a brush. "I'll mark where each color should go first then it'll be hard for that to happen." She then did as she said she would and Loki began to paint alongside her.

"Maybe I should send this to Tony?" She asked out loud mostly to herself.

"He wouldn't appreciate it." Loki said coldly reminding Vera of his capture.

"Oh sorry forgot you're not really here here." She said softly.

"I'll break out soon enough, the so called Avengers are on the verge of eating each other alive." Loki said coldly. "Then I'll be able to actually see you." She blinked at that, he would try and see her in real life, wasn't she just something to pass the time still? She thought he had been half serious about them becoming closer than just advisories or Cat and mouse game players. She shook her head.

If that was the case then why couldn't he just tell them he wasn't going to hurt anyone or he gave up trying to take earth from underneath their feet. Steve and Tony would understand if he had been sincere right?

"I still am taking over your planet Vera." Loki said giving her a serious look as if seeing her face changes and knowing what she had been thinking. "I just won't be as hostile as I originally intended.

"You still are going to force people to kneel?" Vera said frowning at the thought.

"You're the only one who seems to desires not to."

"Where does that leave me then?"

"In the grey area."

**Two in one night and I seem to be at an impasse again. If you have any hints or suggestion on what should happen next please let me hear them. I will credit you in the next chapter if you can inspire me to continue.**

**Edited! Beefed up for maximum reading, also I caught a first person change in the middle and a couple of little miss types! Please review or Pm me if you see anymore that I missed!**


	4. Sooner than he thought

**Okay since the I did really make Loki move a little too fast in the last chapter, please pardon my fan girl getting in the way of things, I'm going to be taking this chapter a whole hell of a lot slower than before, though keep in mind right now they're just friends, Loki doesn't particularly want much more to do with her than conversation and her company since she has a way of disapproving her methods, I may go back and edit the third chapter but then again I might not. The way I write is sort of an in the moment kind of thing, I don't really plan on the character's saying certain lines to each other it kinda just flows.**

**But then again sometimes I am willing to step back and realize what came out of me through that process might not exactly be on par or best for the story. I will do my best to write this one taking my jumping matter into account and for now, since it seems to fit in with the plot Loki and Vera will be separated this chapter.**

**Oh and before I forget thank you to Happy-Valley for suggesting an awe inspiring plot for me to write ^_^ I can't wait to start jotting things down! But without making you guys complain too much about the authors note, here's the story!**

Vera turned her I-pod dock up when "Hide and seek" came on, the style the song had made her especially creative which she loved because all her work for the week had been done and now she could play. She looked at the massively twisted metal piece she had been working on all day, the base had started out looking like a DNA strand, but as it elevated the strands unwounded and spread its chains into flower vines and squiggles. She had laid out newspaper on the floor and covered everything with plastic table cloths. The fun was about to hit sky levels.

She dropped the various paint buckets and placed them around the piece and tried to plan out her strategy, before she quickly painted the DNA strand section and then covered it in plastic. She then grabbed the violet paint can and tossed it at the piece carelessly, and dropped it quickly moving to the blue and positioned herself slightly to the right and emptied it, and repeated the process with, green, yellow, orange, and finally red.

Then her hand got hold of the white can, which she used to pour over the top of the piece carefully making sure it dripped over everything.

"Good to see my money's going to a good cause." Vera's eyes lifted from her work surprised to see Tony and Steve in front of her staring at her work curiously.

"Am I deaf or something?" She said laughing and shaking her head putting the bucket next to the rest of her empty ones. "What can I do you guys for?" she asked cautiously, her mind going back to the conversations she had with Loki's copy, were they here because of it?

"Well, Miss Vera after what happened Germany," Steve said walking over to her painting. "I'm afraid the organization we work for, S.H.I.E.L.D., isn't too sure about you, they're afraid Loki somehow got a hold of you."

Vera looked at him confused, trying to hide the nervousness that slowly began to bubble inside of her. "Didn't you guys tell him what happened there?"

"Patch doesn't believe something until he sees it." Tony said walking over to the bust of Captain. "This one isn't so hot kiddo, but what can you do when your model's halfwit over there." He joked smiling at her Captain turned and gave him a frown, and it was becoming apparent to Vera what Loki had been talking about. Though honestly she could see why the pair had got on each other's nerves, they were opposite ends of a spectrum. Tony was laid back and hated taking orders, while Steve was almost always alert and ready for action.

"We need to take you back to our base to clear your name Vera," Captain said turning back to her, "Once he actually meets you he'll know immediately that you couldn't be, no worries." Vera nodded and dropped eye contact. Should she mention the visits he's been giving her? She sighed that would only cause them to think worse of her, silence for once was the best option. Hopefully their commander wouldn't be able to pick up on her subject dodging.

Tony walked over to her piece of Iron Man "Now this is art! It's made of metal and looks just like me." He picked it up and examined it. "Perfect! Can I have this?-" he change his voice to a higher pitch as if mimicking her. "-Of course Tony it's the least I can do! That's what I like to hear!" He said pointing at her making her smile again and laugh. "But seriously I'm keeping this."

"I need it for my project," Vera said shaking her head, "Two pieces outside of my medium and 1 piece in it."

He took his cell phone out and a flash appeared. "There I'll email this to you kiddo and you can print it out on some photo paper frame it and be an overachiever."

Vera only laughed again, "Okay, just be careful I worked hard on that."

"Enough kidding around Stark we need to go." Captain's voice brought her back into tension and the situation.

"But, what about school, I can't just bail on all my classes how long would this take?"

"I'm sure S.H.I.E.L.D. will hook you up with something when the pirate Captain admits he's wrong." Tony said walking over patting her head now carrying the piece under his arm.

"Pirate Captain?" She said looking at Steve who just shook his head.

"Stark feels the need to come up with nicknames for everyone."

"Oh," Vera said simply still a bit confused.

"You'll see when we get there." Stark said with a wink before walking out of the room followed by a seemingly grumpy Captain. Vera took one last look at the workshop, what if he visited while she was gone? She shook her head at the thought and started to leave, but stopped when she only thought about it again.

Would he be disappointed?

Why should she care?

Stil…

She grabbed a pen and paper and scribbled down a note for him.

"Hurry up kiddo!" she heard Stark yell, and she quickly placed her note on the painting and raced out of the room.

_'Who's visiting who?'_

**Okay that's it for this chapter now I'm going to relax for a little bit and then tackle on the next longer one. (PS. I ended it here because I hate time jumping in the middle of a chapter kinda takes you back a bit.) Hope you enjoyed it leave a comment in the box bellow and I will reason kiddies!**

**Also due to my eagerness to post this I forgot to do some spell checking so this is an edited piece. Woo?**


	5. Meeting the Avengers

As Vera stood staring at the man she had been introduced to as Commander Fury she found herself understanding all of the nicknames Stark had come up with. He had been staring her down as soon as she entered the room and his gaze was making her feel insanely uneasy, it was almost as if he had already known about Loki's visits. Nonetheless Vera was still in awe of the remarkable facility and how high they had all been.

"So, this is the infamous Miss Haworth," the intimidating man in front of her said almost in a commanding way, his tone screamed "Drop and give me fifty!" Vera nodded, unable to find the courage to speak up to him. "The way Steve talked about you I figured you would have been a bit more," he looked her over. "…well taller."

"And I imagined you to be well," she smiled a little bit "….a pirate." Fury's eyes looked over at Stark who had been raising his arms in a sort of surrender pose, then back at Vera who could see a small look of amusement in his eyes. "I didn't come her to be examined Mr. Furry, ask me what you want and let me go back to my school."

He blinked at her sudden courage, "I see you don't take kind to people picking on you as they said," he gestured over at Tony and Steve. "But just to be sure I need to hear you say what happened in Germany with Loki, Vera. Make sure there aren't any holes." She nodded and sat down in a chair nearby.

` As Vera explained what happened that night in full detail she watched as Fury's expression softened as she told him what she had said to the golden antlered god. At a couple of the lines he had actually laughed at. Seeing him ease up on her made her a bit more comfortable about the way things had been turning out.

"Your story does clear out Haworth," He said standing "but I'm afraid there is another concern to your part in that night."

"What is that?" Vera turned to see Steve step forward as if just hearing about it, followed closely by stark. "You said she's clear what else could you need from her." She felt herself get tense as if the topic of Loki's visits would pop up somehow, she wasn't use to lying but she knew how to do it.

"Well you boys know that Natasha is going to be interrogating him soon, we expect to get what he's just hanging around waiting for with that." Fury said nonchalantly. "Afterwards we expect him to be well, less than charming, after what you boys and Miss Haworth here have told me I think she'd be the best person to preoccupy our guest."

"She's not trained for that kind of thing," Captain argued walking up next to her. "She may act stubborn and not admit it but she had been terrified." Vera looked down a bit ashamed of the fact. "Her boldness is a reaction of how she is being treated, if he talks about…" Vera bit her lip glad to see Fury at stepped in, she felt she was going to yell at Steve the way he had been talking about her. She didn't like being called weak.

"There's no need to scare her Rodgers," Stark said shaking his head at Steve. "The girl handled herself and her fear fine enough, he's behind glass and can't hurt her. Training for this kind of thing is not important."

"I'll be fine," Vera said shrugging, "If all he can throw at me is harsh words I can handle it." Steve shook his head and Fury nodded to her.

"Why don't you show her around Stark?" Fury said motioning him towards Vera. "Let her meet Thor and Banner or something, Natasha knows to get her after she finishes up." Vera stood up and walked over to Tony. "Rodgers I have a feeling you and I need to have a word." She heard Fury say as Tony began to lead her away.

"Sorry about grumpy Patch over there." Stark said putting his arms over his head as he walked through the hallway. "I'll take you to meet Banner with any luck Thor might be there too."

"Who are they?"

"Well let's just say you wouldn't want to make either one of them mad." Stark said turning into a room. "Yo! Buddy we have a guest." Vera wandered in after him surprised to see a smallish man in the room working at a computer, he looked up and pushed his glasses further up his nose and looked at her almost concerned.

"Hi!" She said walking over holding her hand out to shake; he cautiously took it examining her as he did. "Vera"

"Bruce" He said letting her hand go.

"He's a little shy" Stark said smirking walking over and ruffling his hair.

"With reason" Bruce said simply looking back over at her in worry. "Is she going to be here long?"

"With the way Fury likes her probably." Tony said shrugging turning to a computer in front of him as if he had been checking something.

"Then I guess I should tell her then…"

"He's has this thing where if you get him angry he turns into a huge raging Green Giant." Tony said flatly before he could finish, Vera raised an eye brow at that but when she looked at Bruce's serious expression she figured he hadn't been lying.

"Oh," she said flatly unsure of how to react at first.

"I guess that's one way to put it." He said grimly turning back to his work.

"Like Jekyll & Hyde?" Vera said walking over towards him curiously feeling the book worm in her come out of its shell.

"Pretty much only the other me isn't exactly as smart." Vera nodded noting the deadly tone he had.

"Ah Thor's here!" Stark said causing Vera to turn to see a giant blonde bearded man decked out in blue and red armor enter the room.

"The one eyed one said I should come here to meet the one who stood up to my brother?" Vera's eyes widened at that word, this was the guy Loki thought she was like? They didn't look much alike, and he seemed very concerned as his eyes fell upon her. "Is it you miss?" She nodded. "Did he say anything that harmed or hurt you?"

Vera laughed lightly, "No, he just threatened me a bit but I was a little stubborn with the whole not kneeling thing. The way he is… or well the way it seemed he was," she said fixing herself before he or anyone else could notice her slip up, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Tony look at her funny. "It seemed natural for him to react to someone like that when I just couldn't seem to hold back myself."

"You must be very wise… lady…"

"Vera, you can just call me Vera no lady necessary." She said giving her hand out for him to shake; Thor grabbed it and shook her hand almost crushing it. As he released he gave her apologetic look he didn't really have much control over his own strength. "No worries," she said smiling at him "not the first time something like that's happened, and I'm honestly nothing special just an artist. Plus most people wouldn't really call what I did back there wise."

"But you seem to understand my brother's actions, from just one encounter with him, the people in my home Asgard-" Vera eye's widened at that recalling Loki had mentioned that too in one of his visits. "-don't even have such expertise in his ways. Tell me do you think he can change?" She could practically feel Stark and Bruce's eyes burning on her.

"I…. I don't know enough to really say but I think it's possible, everyone deserves a second chance." Vera said softly as she watched Thor's eyes sparkle at her.

"Many here disagree with me." Thor said nodding at her. "But they didn't know him before he became like this."

"What…" she hesitated before asking, "What caused him to change, and well I guess what was he like before?"

"He learned he had been adopted, he is a race that our kind has been in war with for a long time, and he just abandoned the idea of my family as his." The blonde's expression had been thoughtful and filled with regret. Vera nodded at him understanding automatically that he had done nothing to make Loki feel unwelcome. He was a brother to him, and always would be, his sadness and remorse just proved this to her.

"It's not your fault you know." She said softly, he looked down at her surprised to hear the words leave her mouth. "I can tell you love your brother and would never dream of really hurting him, just by the way you talk about him. I'm sure as soon as he understands that he'll start to maybe change."

"Maybe," Thor beamed at her. "I like this human," he said to Stark and Banner as if it hadn't been already obvious. Vera smiled at that, before remembering Loki's prediction to his reaction of her. She sighed and shook the thought out of her head and walked over to Stark and Bruce who had been starting to work again.

"Anyway I could help?" She asked "Science was never really my thing but…"

"Don't worry about it kiddo," Stark said as he rapidly touched a screen in front of him. "Your just here to enjoy the ride until Natasha finishes up with Loki."

"You say she's an expert in this type of thing metal man?" Thor asked Tony walking over next to Vera.

"If anyone can get something out of him it's her." He said continuing to work, "Here wanna watch her at work?"

"We can do that?" Vera asked curiously.

"Yeah just give me a second." He touched a few things and out of nowhere a screen of Loki's cell popped up and she found herself staring at him and a red headed woman.

"Once you've won," Vera recognized her voice from the helicopter in Germany, "once your king of the mountain, what happens to his mind?" She blinked, who's mind? What had Loki done? She looked over at Thor who's expression seemed to read the same as hers.

"Is this love agent Romanova?" Loki asked seeming mildly amused.

"Love is for children" she responded crossing her arms, "I owe him a debt." Again she was calm and in control, Vera couldn't help but feel envious. At this Loki backed up to sit.

"Tell me." He said simply, as she sighed before continuing.

"Before I worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. I ugh…" She backed up and sat in the chair that was behind her. "Well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set, I didn't care who I used it for, or on." Vera's eyes fell on Loki again watching his reactions feeling that dangerous aura leek off of him again. "I got on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me he made a different call."

Loki looked interested at her reactions, "And what would you do if I vowed to spare him?"

"Not let you out…"

"Oh no but I like this," his smile became menacing again causing Vera's hand to tighten. "Your world in the balance and you bargain for one man."

"Regimes fall every day, I tend not to weep over that I'm Russian." She smiled a little "…or I was"

Loki looked her over again, "And what are you now?"

"It's really not that complicated." Natasha said standing, "I got red on my ledger, I'd like to wipe it out."

"Can you," Loki asked, "Can you wipe up that much red? Drakov's daughter, Sao Paulo, the hospital fire?... Barton told me everything.-"His tone frightened Vera, why was he getting so into this, "Your ledger is dripping, it's gushing red and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything? This is the basest sentimentality. This is a child at prayer... PATHETIC! You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are a part of you, and they will never go away!"

Vera looked away from the screen unable to watch how horribly threatening he had become. This couldn't have been the man she talked to. Or could it have been? He was doing the same to Natasha as Vera had to him. Telling her exactly what she was, it wasn't right the way he did it made it sound cruel, she covered her ears as he continued spewing out violent threats, startling Natasha.

"I won't touch Barton. Not until I make him kill you! Slowly, intimately, in every way he knows you fear! And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work, and when he screams, I'll split his skull! This is MY bargain, you mewling qui-" Silence filled the air and Vera turned back to the screen to see what had happened. Tony had shut it off.

"Sorry, kiddo if I had known he would have gone off like that," Stark apologized looking at her confused expression. She shook her head as soon as she came out of her shock.

"It's okay," she lied faking a smile, "I'm fine, I suppose I should go down there then."

"I can tell Fury, you can't handle it…"

"No," she said instantly "It's okay I want to go down there now, somebody has to tell him off right?" Tony nodded though he still looked concerned and wasn't looking too positive that she could handle herself. "I'll leave if I feel like that or if he does anything like to me I promise." Vera said trying to reassure both herself and him.

"If I didn't scare her away I think she can handle it." Bruce said trying to help as well looking at Tony.

"It's just down the hall and to the left, call him a couple of names for me." He said giving her a weary grin to show his support for her. She nodded before turning to leave only to be stopped by Thor.

"Please remember what you said earlier, Vera." He said quietly, "Everyone deserves a second chance." Vera nodded and he let her go, she left the room and preceded down the hallway, unsure if she had believed herself anymore.

**EDITED COMMENT 1: BEEFED UP!**


	6. Caged conversation

Vera walked into the room slowly surprised to already see Loki standing up to greet her looking sort of shocked at her appearance. She stared at him for a moment contemplating if she should actually go in there and talk to him after all of that. After a few seconds of debating in her mind she walked down the stairs and towards the isle in front of his cage. "Hello," she said softly as she went up to the chair in front of his glass cage and sat.

"Vera," he said smiling a bit walking forward to the front so he was closer to her. "So this is what that note meant. What is Fury paranoid enough to try questioning the ones I take an interest too?" Vera kept her expression vacant and he cocked his head at her and gave her a mischievous grin. "Short of words today?"

"What was that with Natasha?" She said practically spitting the words out.

Loki frowned at this, "She was interrogating me, and she's a spy Vera she's used to that kind of treatment." He said as if he had already known what she was upset about. She looked up at him and frowned at his mind reading, and inability to admit he had been wrong. "Don't look at me like that. She got what she wanted in the end, or were you unable to listen through threats?" His tone changed to concerned.

"I.." she looked down, not anxious to admit that she hadn't. "Even back when I hated you in Germany, you weren't that violent." She looked back up at him and stood up walking over to the glass crossing her arms before asking what had really affected her. "But what you did before that was that like what I did to you?"

"In a way I guess so, but you knew I could handle a few insults, and it was your only defense." He had sounded surprised that she had been worried about that.

"Did it sound as bad as when you did it?" she asked concerned, he smiled at her gently.

"No silly little mortal." Loki said pressing his hand against the glass. "You sounded righteous, and wise." She blinked at him, surprised to hear the words come from his mouth.

"You're even nicer than before," she said softly not understanding his actions any more than the night before. After seeing him yell at Natasha she was sure she was able to hang on to anger.

"I don't like seeing a friend hurt I suppose." He said looking away from her and walking back to his seat, as if he didn't like thinking about how he was treating her. "Why are you here?"

"They wanted to make sure I hadn't been swayed by you." She said only half lying.

"That's it?"

"Yes that's i-"

"Do not _lie_ to me Vera," Loki said looking back at her giving her a fierce look that reminded her of what had happened earlier, "your honesty is what I value in you."

"My honesty?"

"Yes, now use it." He said it as if talking to a simpleton.

Vera sighed regretfully giving in, "They also hoped to put me in here after Natasha to keep you busy while they used whatever info you gave them."

"Was that so hard?" Loki said almost like talking to a child coaxing it into doing a chore, she frowned at that. It was like he had been training her into telling him everything, it felt degrading, and put her back on edge. Why did he like getting under her skin so much?

"Don't treat me like a child." She said sitting back down stubbornly. "It's humiliating."

"Ah right your pride," he said smiling "I forgot you let it get the best of you." She looked up at him and gave him a look that told him to back off overanalyzing her. After all she didn't make a habit of pointing out everything about him unless he asked her too.

"We all have our faults it makes us well, human or whatever you are," She looked back over at him remembering her conversation with Thor. "Loki," he immediately looked up still seeming not used to her using his name, "I met your brother." He looked away from her at the mention of him. "You were right, after I talked to him about how you deserved a second chance, he said he 'likes this human'-" she lowered her voice attempting to impersonate him. She waited for him to say something in return or at least chuckle at her but he said nothing.

She let him linger in the silence a little longer curious to see if he would say anything but only his expressions spoke. His face changed as he was thinking from sadness to anger, to confusion to remorse. She was beginning to understand why he liked watching her react to things so much. It was like a game trying to see what or who he was thinking about. Eventually she stopped herself and broke the quiet air around them.

"He really loves you, you know" He looked up at her, a vacant expression on his face as he stared at her dark green eyes. "He told me about what happened," Loki's expression turned to anger as if she had started a forbidden conversation. "But your family still loves you and…" She tried to continue on before he cut her off.

"Don't speak of things you don't know of." He said sharply but she just stood up in defiance and pulled her hand into a fist. He could get to know everything about her but when she asked a question about his past, oh that's going too far. It takes two roads to build a friendship or trust, she had already forgotten the phrase as she felt herself control go.

"Then tell me!" Vera yelled at him, "Explain so I can understand. How can you expect me to get close to you if you won't even talk to me about the very thing that makes you like this!" She threw her fist at the glass hurting her more than it, but she continued to stare at him ignoring her now red hand. "You make me so confused! There's this nice person underneath everything but the damaged side of you won't let me met him." Loki stood up and watched her speak interested in her angry reaction. "I could get over this if you told me, if I knew then; I could give up on it or, be able to really see the good in you."

"I promise I'll tell you later, now's not the time." He said sighing and stepping to the front of the cage putting his hand under where Vera's was. She stared back at him losing her anger and dropping her hand and looking away from him, still feeling cheated but no longer angry. "Just try and be patient."

"When, though?" She asked looking back at him frustrated, "When is later?"

"I swear on my Mother's life that I will tell you Vera." He said frowning at her a little.

"When I'm back in Germany?" she asked.

"No," he smiled at her warmly but at the same time Vera had seen an edge of mischievousness to it. Then she heard the explosion and found herself crashing to the ground because of it feeling the wind get knocked out of her. "When you leave with me."

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Made it a tad bit longer and more detailed.**


	7. Agent Coulson

Vera slowly got up and looked at Loki startled yet again. "What was that?" She asked letting her surprise show in her tone, as she used the glass as leverage all the while trying to catch her breath.

"My men coming to get me," he said plainly, a sudden roar erupted and Vera could only assume Banner had gone into Jolly green giant mode, "and that is my distraction." She stared at him blankly, unable to process how and what was going on at the moment as well as she normally would have. Fear was starting to cripple her again.

"You planed this?" She asked as she gained stability and looked herself over checking to make sure she was fine, she only had a few bruises on her legs from the crash. She returned her gaze to Loki as he began to clear her thoughts.

"You didn't expect me to just sit around and wait for them to release me now did you?" He said shaking his head at her smiling at her naivetés. She just returned it with another blank look.

"Is anyone going to get hurt by this," she said feeling herself slip into anger again. "You promised me Loki."

"If they do it will not be by my hands now will it." She stared at him in disbelief and felt her teeth clench themselves to restrain the pressure building within her yet again.

"I should go and help them," Vera said hands going to her head rubbing it gingerly trying to get herself to think clearly. "There's got to be something I can do,"

"What, will you yell at the thing?" Loki said pressing his hand once more against the glass. "Think Vera you are weak, going out there will just get you crushed."

"I can't just stand here and do nothing!" she yelled at him feeling herself fall into a panic. "Why couldn't _I_ be strong? Why couldn't I be given some gift or something I feel so useless." She pulled her hair a bit and cursed under her breath.

Loki's frown softened, "The world would lose the one value it carries if it lost you." Vera looked up at him wide eyed unsure of how to react to his kindness. "Stay put so it can have its worth." He said walking away from the wall leaving her in silence. Why did he say that? Why did he say it like _that_?"

"Do you really think I'm that important?" She asked quietly after a few minutes, he didn't answer. Out of nowhere the lights flickered and Vera found herself tumbling about this time she was able to grip the railing next to her before

"Sinking the ship?" she questioned, he only smirked at her or was it rather behind her where a man who looked like a soldier entered the room and began messing with the computer. Before Vera could muster the strength to move herself over to try and stop him the door had been opened. She heard menacing footsteps as she turned her head to watch Loki slowly leave his cell and walk straight over to where she was, she felt an overwhelming mixture of dread and uncertainty. This was bad for everyone, but her. That made her feel even worse.

"NO!" She heard Thor's voice boom and her head turned surprised to see another Loki "exiting" the cell. Foolishly he charged at him passing through him and into the cell the doors closing behind him, all before Vera could shout not to.

"Are you ever not going to fall for that?" Loki asked smiling at him as Vera let go of the railing gaining her stability. Thor in anger hit the glass with his hammer only cracking it, this only made Loki happier. He slowly made his way over to the computer, "The human's think us immortal, shall we test that."

"No!" Vera said quickly grabbing his arm desperately trying to get him to stop. "He's your brother!" He merely stared at her as if actually considering stopping, but the sound of the solider dropping to the floor made both of them break eye contact.

A man stood behind the soldiers laying body holding a massive gun he gestured for them to move from the computer. "Move away please" he said calmly. Loki obeyed using Vera's grip on him to move her behind him almost protectively, which of course made Vera feel even more uncomfortable.

"You like this?" He asked him stepping towards the two slowly. "We started working on the prototype after you sent the destroyer." He shrugged. "Even I don't know what it does." He pressed a button and it started glowing orange. "Wanna find out?" He asked.

Before Vera could even blink Loki was behind him and stabbed him with his staff.

"NO!" Both Vera and Thor screamed as the Loki gripping her disappeared. "You promised!" She yelled at him feeling herself go into a rage as she ran over to the man Loki grabbed her by her wrist stopping her making her face him and his unaltered plain expression, he had killed someone without even feeling remorse for it. "You _promised_." She repeated waiting for his response.

"He threatened to hurt me and possibly you." He said flatly as she stared at him in disbelief. He let her go and walked over to the computer as she raced over to try and tend to the man's wound. She ripped a piece of her shirt of and pressed it against the wound. She heard winds gushing and turned to see Loki had opened a hole underneath Thor's cage.

"LOKI!" she yelled, feeling desperate she had started crying, "I'll never forgive you." He looked at her again giving her a stare that made her believe he had hesitated, but then he looked away from her.

"I know"

Before she could shut her eyes he hit the button and Vera helplessly watched him drop from the ship as she let out another cry.

He slowly made his way towards her and Vera turned her head back to the man she had been trying to save. "What's your name?" she asked softly as she ripped another piece of her shirt swapping it with the old blood piece trying to pay no mind to the fact she felt dread with every step Loki made towards them.

"Phil Coulson." He said wincing a bit.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't do any-" before she could finish she had been yanked up by her arms and pulled away from the man she had tried to apologize to. She tried furiously to break Loki's grip refusing to look at him. He began to pull her away but was stopped by Coulson's voice.

"You're going to lose."

Loki turned still gripping tightly onto Vera causing her to wince a bit. "Am I?"

"It's in your nature."

She was let go by Loki for a moment as he stepped back towards him. She didn't run, she knew better he would have caught her in a split second. Instead she looked at the blood that had been stained on her hands, feeling the weight of her actions and casualty towards Loki begin to seep in. Knowing the man's name wound up making her feel worse rather than better.

Phil's blood.

"Your heroes are scattered" Loki said making Vera slowly look up. "Your floating fortress falls from the sky, and I possess the only thing you could ever hope to use against me." Vera looked away not wanting to be a part of his list of successes or to be seen as a tool. She was just a normal girl with an attitude problem, nothing special. Right? "Where is my disadvantage?"

"You lack conviction" he said simply making Vera smile softly at him in admiration.

"I don't think I-" before he could finish Coulson fired the weapon at him making him clash through the wall and into the room that laid behind it, all the while making Vera's mouth drop.

"So that's what it does." He said smiling a bit placing the gun down beside him again.

Vera took the opportunity and quickly tore a piece of her sleeve and gave it to him placing his hands on top of it and his wound to apply pressure,, hoping that if Loki came back again that he would be able to hold it down by himself.

"You need to run" He said to her coughing a bit, he sounded as if the pain was horrible.

"I can't leave you like this. I can go get Fury and..." She started not willing to leave him injured and by himself.

"He'll get to you first."

"I…I know." She said softly realizing what little hope she had.

"Hide then" she blinked at him confused, the thought hadn't occurred to her, but then again when had she ever needed to actually hide. "There are many ducts here find one in a dark space and hide." His face and tone had been similar to Fury's commanding and official. She nodded and got up slowly looking at him once more still not feeling right leaving him.

"Will you be…"

"I'll be fine just go!" He said giving her a glare that told her to not let him drag her down with him. She could only nod in response unable to find the words to wish him well other than,

"Thank you, I'm sorry"

And she was off running in the opposite direction Loki had been shot in as quickly as she could. She took lefts, rights, any turn she could possibly make until she made the end of a dark shaft. To her left there was a dark small space. Swiftly she found her way in tucking herself awkwardly into the weirdly cranny, lying in an extremely uncomfortable twisted position.

She was alone and scared she felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She tried to calm herself down but she kept imaging Loki finding her and it made it only beat faster. Why was she alive? She should have died fighting for someone like Coulson. She could have risked her life and threatened to jump down the shaft after Thor. So many regrets, all caused by her fear and faith that Loki would have listened to her.

She had been stupid.

Stupid enough to believe he was listening to her and her points on life. Stupid to believe his promise, stupid to believe she had changed him.

Stupid.

STUPID!STUPID!STUPID!STUPID!STUPID!STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!

And now Loki was torturing her by making her see everything, and making her realize how useless she was to anyone but him, all because she provided him with interesting conversations. She was as guilty as he was, she should have been killed in Germany or just refused to talk to him. How could she have thought she could ever handle him.

The darkness and silence only made her think of the past events more, she had so much regret. She hated being a burden or useless to anyone, her sister, Phil, Steve. Why would anyone do this to someone, make them sit and watch unable to do anything to stop it. Why had he been so unfair so cruel. Vera's hands found their way to her head and she grabbed it trying to get herself to be strong and hold in her tears, stifle her breathing, as she heard footsteps race through the halls.

"VERA!" She heard the sound of the Captains voice.

"STEVE?" she shouted back as she peeped her head out of the Crevice, sure enough she saw the familiar red white and blue man turn around the corner. She tried to get out but she was stuck. "I may need a little help here." She said trying to pull on the rail above her with little success. He came over and grabbed her legs carefully pulling her out; as soon as he did she hugged him.

"I was so scared," she said feeling relieved to find the familiar face. "Loki trapped Thor and sent him down, a man call Coulson died, Loki didn't listen to me. He didn't even bat an eye at killing him. I couldn't do anything I just…. I'm just so useless." She buried her head in his chest feeling safe in his arms. She felt a hand rest on her head and she slowly looked up.

"Was it really that hard on you Vera?" Her eyes widened in surprise, Loki had been standing there holding her.

What?

How?

"No," she said trying to break his tight hold on her, "NO!"

"Sssssh…." He said softly and her eyes began to feel heavy. "Go to sleep, it'll all be over when you wake up." And with that she fell in his arms.

Why?

**PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS CHAPTER! I worked very hard on this one and so far I think it's been my favorite. I'm also considering a new title for this, "Grey area". Let me know if you think it's good. **

**Where should Vera be during the final battle?**

**Trapped at Stark tower**

**Alongside Loki the whole time**

**Helping people close to Stark tower to safety.**

**Please let me know!  
**

**EDITED COMMENT 1: **Add a tiny bit more to this, though it didn't need to much more.


	8. Kidnapped at Stark Towers

When Vera awoke she found herself laid out on a couch in a very dressed up apartment she slowly got up, afraid to know where she was, so instead she focused on the fact she had been wearing a completely different outfit. The style of the dress she was no wearing had been almost roman, or like Meg's dress from "Hercules". The simple and yet elegant style of it fascinated her as she traced her hand over the light blue fabric.

Working up her courage she got up and began to look around the strange room she had entered. The art around the place had been wonderful and luxurious so it had to be owned by someone rich. Her hand founds its way to a small metal statue that had been on display on the coffee table and she let them work their way around the piece examining it.

"So you're awake."

Her eyes immediately looked up to see Loki standing in the door way and she frowned at him but stayed silent as he walked closer to her refusing to give him the satisfaction of fear or anger. She only kept a disappointed look on her face. "I thought you would have yelled at me by now," he said sighing stopping a few feet away from her, but she still said nothing she just stood up and stared at him. "You have nothing to say to me."

"Why waste my breath on someone who refuses to listen" she said coldly walking back to the couch she woke up on.

"He attacked me Vera it was self-defense, and my brother is still alive." Loki stared at her "I did not break my promise."

"Then why do I feel like I've been ripped apart." She said looking away from him. "Why do I feel like I should be angry at you for hurting me? Not listening to my pleas! Do you have any idea how it felt to not be able to stop something like that, to be utterly useless." He made his way over and sat down on the far side of the couch.

"Would you rather me be in that cage then?" he asked coldly as if it angry at her inability to understand and forgive him and chat with him like before.

"There you couldn't hurt anybody," Vera responded, "and nobody bothered you."

There was a long silence between the two of them, this time Loki broke it. "Today is the day I will take over your planet Vera" She turned to meet his gaze hazel yet again meeting emeralds. "I will not make you watch it, but I want you there when it does become mine." The silence between them came again.

"You said you'd tell me about your past." Vera said turning her head away not sure she wanted to change the conversation, but she figured knowing more about him would help her understand why he had done what he did to her. "Why you became what you were." Loki sighed at her request and stood up.

"I'll tell you if you come up stairs with me." He said holding out his hand to help her up. Vera nodded and stood up without his help and followed him up the flight of stairs and into an amazing room with many windows a bar, and an amazing patio walkout type of thing. She saw how high up they had been and the many skyscrapers surrounding them.

"New York City?" She asked him never actually seeing it in person. He nodded and moved to stand in front of the center window wall Vera hung back afraid to go anywhere near the edge of such a tall building.

"At my home, Asgard was at war with a race called the Frost Giants," Loki spoke as Vera took a seat at the bar and listened to him. "Eventually they won but as Odin, Thor's father, left he found an abandoned child, and took him in as his own." He stared out the window deep in thought. "He thought that child could grow up and become the bridge between the two conflicting worlds, and raised him not telling him what he was. Eventually the child found out on his own, it was easy after all he was the only person on Asgard who liked to use his mind over his brawn."

"I know it's you Loki," Vera said softly hoping to make him a bit more personal when talking about himself. "You do not have to speak in third person."

He looked at her eyes dropping as soon as he saw her sympathetic gaze. "In retaliation I caused an attack on Asgard, and coaxed Thor into leading an attack on the frost giants breaking a treaty that the two races had established." He laughed at that as if the memory had been a fond one. "Father knew instantly, and tried to lock me away, I confronted him about his lies but he acted as if it didn't matter." His tone became angry. "I told him the truth he refused to see, how he didn't love or care for me what I was, and he never would think of me as family!"

"How did he take that" Vera asked standing and walking over towards him, forgetting all that he had done after seeing the pain on his face. She couldn't help it, knowing his past had made her sympathetic towards him again.

"He didn't, he fell to the ground in what your people would call a comma." Loki said looking at her again a bit surprised to see her coming towards him. "Then I was forced to take the throne, and well that's the entire tale you shall be receiving from me."

"So this isn't really what you look like." Vera questioned to which Loki's skin slowly turned blue and she could feel the cold that came off of him hit her face and make her skin flush. "Not too much of a difference" she said turning away from him, but he grabbed her hand stopping her she looked at him surprised to see his face had turned back to normal already.

"You don't care?"

"Why would I?" Vera asked him not understanding the question, "It's not the fact that you're a frost whatever it's your actions, your words that make you, you. Even if that you is a murdering promise breaker, the color of your skin or your race shouldn't matter." He blinked at her and put his hand to his head, as if confused to whether she had been reassuring or insulting.

"You are a strange human." He said looking at her shaking his head giving her look that made Vera think he though she had been the weird one.

"And you've been in the dark to long," She responded crossing her arms frowning. "If you had listened to Thor or your father you could have learned all this from them! They love you; they can see past your actions now down to the you, you were before you learned you were blue. Do not let them regret staying faithful to you."

"And what of you Vera?" Loki said turning to face her stepping towards her, "Do you see this former version of myself in me? Even after I've murdered and attempted to kill my own brother?"

Vera sighed thinking back to her conversation with Thor.

"Everyone deserves a second chance." She said softly to him looking back into his emerald eyes seeing the good deep down within him yet again. "Even you Loki." They were both quiet.

"Vera you need to go back down stairs," Loki said walking away from her but she only followed.

"And what wait for you to take over things Loki," she said sternly. "I cannot just sit by knowing what's going on."

"Then do you want a repeat of last time?" Loki said turning back at her in anger. "I can promise you this Vera even if I do not kill anybody the Chitauri will not be as kind." Vera assumed that was his means of take over.

"Then let me help people," she argued softly, "I'll get them off the streets and back here where it's safe."

"You may do as you chose, but I will warn you not to go too far away from this building." Loki said sounding disappointed at her commitment to her people. "I cannot guaranty your safety beyond that building-" he pointed out the window to a small coffee shop. Vera nodded, and was about to head down the stairs when she could hear the sound of Iron Man flying in towards them, then the firing of one of his weapons.

Vera walked back over to the window now seeing the device that had been running and Tony staring at it. "That is where they are going to come from"

"Yes," he said smirking at it glad to see even Iron Man could not destroy it. Her eyes turned to Stark who began walking down the patio walk way as machines came out and started taking apart his armor. Vera watched as Loki walked over to greet him staying where she was. Not willing to step in between the two of them. "Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity."

"Ugh, actually I'm planning on threatening you," Tony said armor all of arms behind his back. "Hey Vera, glad to see you're alright. Nice dress did you pick that out Loki? Didn't know you were into fashion you now with the horns and all." Vera smiled thankful for his humor cheering her up as usual before giving a small wave.

Loki only gave him a menacing smile, "Oh you should have kept your armor on" he said threatening him lightly he didn't look affected by the joke about his costume.

"Yeah, it's seen a bit of millage and you got the ugh glow stick of destiny" He walked over to the bar "Would you like a drink?" He asked casually.

"Stalling me won't change anything."

"No, no threatening." Tony corrected him. "No drink you sure, Vera you want one?" She shook her head remaining silent as she moved away from the windows. "I'm having one." Loki walked to the window where she had been.

"The Chitauri are coming, nothing will change that." He turned back to Tony who was pouring himself a glass. "What have I to fear?"

"The Avengers" He said simply. Loki looked at him confused and stepped towards him. "It's what we call ourselves we're sort of like a team. Earth's mightiest heroes type thing."

"Yes," Loki said looking amused. "I've met them."

"Yeah takes us a while to get any attraction I'll give you that one." Tony said before giving Loki an all knowing look. "But, let's do a head count here. Your brother a demi god," His hands reached for something Vera couldn't see as soon a Loki turned his gaze away from him. "A super solider, a living legend that kinda lives up to the legend. A man with breath taking anger management issues, a couple master assassins and you," he pointed at Loki "big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them and steel the girl ."

"That was the plan" Loki replied smiling at the man, who now had been wearing bracelets Vera noticed.

"Not a great plan" he said walking out from behind the bar and over towards where he was. "When they come, and they will, they'll come for you." He said nonchalantly as he strolled right up to him.

"I have an army," Loki said narrowing her eyes.

"We have a hulk" Vera could only assume he meant Bruce.

"Well I thought the beast had wandered off."

"Yeah, you're missing the point, there's no throne. There's no version of this where you come out on top." He looked at Vera giving her a nod, "I'm sure she's mentioned this to you once or twice," she returned it thankful to Stark for being blunt with Loki. "Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it." He took a drink as Loki stepped towards him.

"How will your friends have time for me, when there so busy fighting you" Vera blinked and felt herself race over to try and stop Loki again, as she heard his staff make a charging noise and he raised it to Starks heart, she grabbed his arm as soon as it touch him and she heard a clanging sound. Loki looked at him confused as if surprised nothing happened. He did the same thing again as Vera let go of him glad to see that for once his trick hadn't worked.

"This usually works" He said looking at him a bit confused.

"Well performance issues you know," he made a face at Loki ", it's not uncommon, one out of five." He managed to say before Loki grabbed his throat and tossed him on the floor by the window. Vera glared at Loki when he glanced at her as he slowly made his way over towards Stark.

"Jarvis, anytime now." She heard him grunt as he stood only to meet Loki's hand grabbing him again.

"Stop it!" Vera said feeling an overwhelming sense of familiarity with situation unfolding before her.

"You will all fall, before me." Vera bit her lip and walked towards the two of them frowning, but stopped as soon as she heard Stark yell.

"Deploy!" she hear him say as Loki picked him up "Deploy!" he cried as Loki tossed him out the window.

"No!" Vera said racing over to where he fell hearing what he had tried to start running zoom past her and down towards him, and attach it's self onto him turning it's self into the Iron Man suit. She smiled and backed up from the edge waiting for him to come back up,

"And there's one other person you pissed off." He said as he floated up to view. "His name was Phil." Loki raised his arm to attack but Stark merely raised his arm and aimed it at him sending him back. "You alright kid?" he asked Vera who nodded at him.

"Fine," she said smiling before the machine apparently fired its self-up at the sky making a roaring sound that had been filled with an overwhelming sense of doom.

"Think you can handle him for a while?" He asked her she nodded.

"Kick ass and take some names man!" she said throwing her fists up, "Just help save as many people as possible too." And with that he flew off and Vera began to turn towards the stairs again, ready to do the second.

**Okay so that's it for today, and I can officially say I have a plot for the long run of this story now! If you want to know what it is right now it's a secret but if you remember what Vera's name means it could give you a clue to as what it is. Anyway I'll be doing the huge fight scene tomorrow, might break it down a bit to more than one chapter but the whole fight will be out during the course of tomorrow, in the meantime tell me what you think!**

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Bulked up a little bit added a bit more interaction between Stark and Vera.**


	9. One last Show

**Okay so this is it! Big fight scene. I hope it will live up to people's expectations, and I can manage to have Vera's addition to the battle a good one. Wish me luck Folks!**

Before Vera could leave she was stopped by Loki's voice. "Please go back to the room Vera, it's safer there, you'll get hurt in all this."

"I'd rather risk it then just stand by." She replied to him softly as he stood not feeling sorry about him getting hit, knowing he both could take it and slightly deserved it.

"Very well then," he pulled a green amulet around Vera's neck carefully, and it glowed as soon as he had it on her. He began to walk out to the walkway Stark had come in at and motioned for her to follow. She did looking up startled at the creatures that had started coming down towards the city like rain. When they reached the edge of the platform he waved his hand and a green line circled a small area all around the building. Her necklace stopped glowing and the line disappeared.

"That's to make sure you stay in the area," Loki said simply nodding to her. "They will not harm anyone that enters here unless they attack them." Vera nodded great full for the opportunity he had given her. He smiled a little at her and gripped her shoulder blades. "Be careful Vera." He was about to give her another hug but Thor crashed into the patio bellow them, causing both of them to turn towards him.

Vera smiled glad to see he had actually been all right and Loki wasn't lying, Thor looked concerned to see her. Had it been that she was standing close to Loki, the Asgardian dress, or the amulet, she knew he was worried for her sanity.

"Turn off the Tesseract or I'll destroy it," Vera made her leave sensing the two were going to fight picking up the end of her dress so she wouldn't trip.

"You can't" she heard Loki's voice say as she entered the room again looking for something sharp. "There is no stopping it, there is only the war." Giving up she grabbed an inexpensive looking glass and threw it at the floor. She quickly picked up a large piece carefully and began to saw at where her knees were, trying to shorten the dress so she could race about freely.

She heard the two of them head at it and hurried her pace. Once she got about half way through she tore the rest off and raced for the stairs, afraid to use the elevator at the time of an intergalactic war.

After what seemed like 20 minutes she finally reached the bottom, and ran out the lobby and towards the exit. As soon as she got out she saw Stark zoom past with some of the creatures following him, police desperately trying to figure out what was going on, and she began to realize how small she actually was in all this.

She shook her head, and continued out into the middle of the area seeing some families panicking she motioned for them to go into the building, the quickly followed her order and more followed.

Out of nowhere she heard Loki's voice, "Look out!" She looked up to see what he had meant, and saw the jet he had shot down out of the sky. Vera move the last people out of the area swiftly before running herself out of the way of the giant hunk of metal falling at her glad to see it had managed to steer it's self away.

"You can talk to me out of this two?" She asked her necklace only getting no reply she shrugged it off and ran to the edge of the circled off area waving people towards her and to safe haven glad to see most of them had been complying. She heard a roar from up above and against her better judgment she looked up terrified to see more of them coming out and a giant manatee looking monster among them as well. The monsters sprawled out of it and attaching themselves to buildings.

"There's no such thing as a simple take over huh?" she said shaking her head as she guided people back inside telling them not to leave until either she came to get them or the noises stopped. With her luck neither of those things would be happening anytime soon. Then she saw Loki fall and get caught by one of his monsters.

"Do not do anything foolish while I'm gone." She heard his voice bellow.

"Have you seen your handy work around here?" she said sarcastically as she went back to get more people. "I'd say take a look in the mirror before you start chastising me Mister."

"Oh how I missed your comebacks" She heard him say before she was grabbing more people and sending them back.

"Find first aid kits in the building," she said rushing them along. "Help anyone you can." She looked up again terrified to see more coming through.

"Vera!" She turned surprised to see Steve and Natasha along with another man racing towards her.

"Steve?" She asked running over towards them.

"Glad to see your doing fine," Natasha said examining her appearance, eyeing the dress and talisman around her neck, pointing out the fact Loki had gone to the trouble of dressing her up.

"Trying," she said nodding to her giving her look that made it clear the dress hadn't been her idea. "There's a safe zone for everyone at Stark tower, it's where the thingy is the monsters won't hurt anybody there." She said gesturing towards it.

"Noted" the other man said quickly looking around.

"Did he do anything to you?" The Captain asked her concerned looking her over as well.

"Now's not really the time for that I'm fine," she said flashing him a quick smiled, "I just can't leave a certain area around here," she said gesturing towards the necklace. "Kinda got a barrier type of thing going on I are people's conditions out there?"

"It's not good Vera," he said shaking his head, "the people are defenseless we need a plan." Natasha walked over towards me and handed me an earpiece.

"So you can let us know if anything changes around here." She nodded and placed it at once in her ear.

"Thank you." She said smiling finally feeling useful to them. Natasha gave her a nod and a small smile. Suddenly Thor crashed down next to them startling Vera a little he gave her an apologetic look.

"What's the story up stairs?" Captain said turning his attention towards him.

"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable,"

Tony's voice came through the radio in her ear, "Thor's right We got to deal with these guys."

"How do we do this?" Natasha asked looking at Captain.

"As a team" he responded looking up at the tower.

"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor said, his serious tone scared her.

"Yeah?" The other man asked pulling out his arrows "Well, get in line."

"Don't you think there are other priorities around here rather than just getting revenge or knocking some sense into your brother?" Vera said feeling a bit angry they had been ignoring the state the city had been in.

Captain nodded, "Vera's right save it. Loki's going to keep this fight on us, and that's what we need." He began walking past him and back outside of Vera's limits making her feel like a caged animal. "Without him, these things could run wild." He turned back to Natasha. "We've got Stark up top. He's going to need us to…" he turned to see the motorcycle that had Banner on it ride over to the others.

He slowly stepped off, "So, this all seems horrible." He said flatly looking around, Vera tried to step forward but a green light quickly stopped her from doing so.

"I've seen worse." Natasha said to him most likely implying the fact he went into crazy mode before.

"Sorry." He said giving her small apologetic smile.

"No," she said nodding at him, "we could use a little worse." He seemed a little doubtful of that.

"Stark," Steve's voice brought her attention back to him, "we got him."

"Banner?" Tony's voice again reappeared in Vera's ear.

"Just like you said." Captain replied, "Oh and Vera's fine she's just trapped around the tower area."

"Hey Tony!" she said cheerfully.

"Good well, tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you." She saw Stark turn around the corner followed closely by the space whale. Everyone got their arms ready but Natasha just shook her head.

"I…don't see how that's a party." Banner began walking towards the beast.

"Dr. Banner!" Captain called out to him, he turned in response. "Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

He smiled at him before continuing on, "That's my secret captain, I'm always angry" He then turned green and got massive and just punched the thing stopping it in its tracks causing it's back end to go up and start tipping it's self over all the while bits and pieces of its armor fell off. Vera backed up as everyone else did instinctively.

"Hold on" she heard Stark say as he raced over towards the beast and sent a missile at it causing it to explode. Instinctively Captain and Thor stood in front of me and Natasha shielding us from the blast. As the huge beast fell the rest of the monsters roared to which Hulk gave an even bigger roar in reply.

Vera watched as the rest of the group huddled themselves in a circle as they looked around at their surroundings. She could only stand behind her barrier in awe at the amazing team. But her admiration was cut short by the sound of more falling through the hole in the sky.

"Incoming!" She shouted at them pointing up.

"Call it captain." Stark said to Steve.

"All right listen up," He said looking up, "Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Barton" He turned to look at the man Vera had yet to meet. "I want you on that roof" He gestured to a building. "Eyes, on everything. Call out pattern's and strays. Stark, " he looked at him, ", you got perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash."

"Can you give me a lift?" Barton asked Tony.

"Right. Better clench up Legolas." Stark said grabbing him and taking off.

"Thor, you got to try and bottle neck that portal. Slow them down. You got the lighting. Light the bastards up." He swung his hammer around a couple of times before flying off. "Vera," she turned her head to the Captain surprised to see him addressing her in the whole commanding team thing. "Keep railing people into the safe zone. If we get any civilians on the streets well head them in your direction." He smiled at her, "Just keep up that courage I saw in Germany and you'll be fine."

She nodded and raced back towards the building spotting a few people who had been hiding around and helped them out and ran back with them to the tower. She heard thunder and lighting and assumed it must have been Thor getting ready to fry up some creatures. As they couple she found made their way inside she walked around the small area again checking every nook and cranny to see if there was anyone else around.

When she found no one she walked back to the lobby and stepped inside surprised at the small crowd she had actually gathered. "Is everyone okay?" She asked walking towards them.

"No!" A woman cried her eyes had been stained with mascara "My little girl isn't with me, we got separated in the chaos!" She said bawling her eyes out, Vera instantly walked over towards her.

"Where do you last see her?"

"We were at the café she had gone to the bathroom and the mob of people escaping pushed me out," She looked up at me eyes filled with regret. "If she's out there on her own she must be terrified."

"I'll try and find her," Vera said softly to the woman "What's her name?"

"Nadia," the woman said crying for joy that someone was willing to help her. "She's small has dark brown hair, it was braided today, and blue eyes." Vera nodded and left the building and running straight for the edge of her barrier.

"Do not do what you're thinking Vera" Loki's voice spoke as she struggled to undo the clasp.

"And do what let a mother and her child be separated?" Vera said managing to take it off and held it up so she was looking at it as if she was speaking to him. "She could die or be traumatized by something like this Loki! I'm going" She dropped the necklace and took a step forward glad to not see the green light blocking her again and ran towards the café.

"NADIA!" she yelled as soon as she barged into the empty café. "Nadia?" she asked softer looking around for the girl. She heard a soft crying coming from behind the counter and she slowly made her way over there finding the small girl curled up in a feudal position eyes clenched shut afraid to see anything.

Vera walked over and kneeled down next to the girl. "It's okay, I'm here because your mother sent me." She said softly watching the girl open her eyes surprised to see another human in front of her.

"I can't leave those monster's will get me." Nadia said quietly as if afraid they'd hear her.

"I'll keep you safe," Vera said offering the girl her hand; she slowly took it and stood up with her. The two of them slowly began to walk out of the café together. The little girl looked up surprised to see how dead the city had looked. Vera couldn't help but think the same. Cars and rubble had been everywhere, above the monsters ran across the sky attacking buildings.

"What are they?" Nadia asked her.

"I don't really know," Vera said sighing helping her over a pile of rubble carefully.

"Why are they here?"

Vera hesitated before responding, she didn't want to frighten the girl. "I don't know" she said lying , looking up seeing them fly over, they had been only a few inches from the barrier, when one of them came down to attack the two of them.

Vera promptly knelt down to Nadia, "Do you see where that necklace is?" she asked pointing at it Nadia nodded. "I need you to run past that and towards Stark tower and go into the building your mom will be there." She nodded and began to run but one of Loki's soldiers stopped her from moving forward and rose his weapon to stab her.

Without hesitancy Vera found herself in-between them and felt the weapon go through her body, all the while the girl ran past the monster in terror. It wasn't long before the weapon had been pulled out of her and she fell to her knees desperately trying to keep herself up.

"What was that on Vera's mic?" She heard Steve ask through her head set.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?" She heard Loki's voice boom, before she could even see him he had torn apart the creature by snapping his head off.

"I don't know but Loki just vanished, I almost had him." Barton responded.

Vera's eyes fell onto her wound and her eyes widened at the blood that was seeping out of it, her hands fumbled at the edge of her dress as she tried to tear something off to stop the bleeding but she had been lifted off her feet and into Loki's arms.

"Vera are you okay?" Steve's voice came through again.

Her eyes began to grow heavy as she looked up at him, afraid to see his reaction. But she was shocked to see his concern and sorrow as he gazed upon her. "I had to, she would have been hurt or left all alone, Loki. Even if I die it won't be in vai-"

"Who are you talking to is that Loki-" Steve's angry voice was cut off by Loki throwing the ear piece away.

"You are not going to die," he said as his grip tightened on her. "I will never forgive you if you do."

Before her eyes shut she smiled at him, "I know."

**Okay there was the big fight, I hope you guys enjoyed a little Vera commando time, and I leave you at this cliff hanger since it's about 2 in the morning where I'm at and well, my neighbor's party finally quieted down.**

**Hope you enjoyed it and I want to say in the next 3 chapters, Vera's big plot twist is going to make its self-known to the audience. Until, well I guess now later in the day.**

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Beefed up just a bit and added more interaction between Vera and the Avengers.**


	10. The Wake up

Vera's eyes slowly opened she no longer felt a pain in her chest, she sat up and looked down at herself surprised to see her chest had been bandaged. She let out a breath of relief and took a look around to see where she had been resting surprised to see herself in what looked like a hospital.

"What happened?" she asked rubbing her head, no one had been in the room with her, she assumed it couldn't be a NYC hospital, due to the fact that they would have all been booked after the whole battle thing. Maybe she was back in Germany, or …. She shook her head in realization after seeing a chart written in English above her head.

She had been with S.H.I.E.L.D. then, and at this point she wasn't sure if that had been a good thing yet. Vera turned to the table to her right, happy to see a glass of water sitting there for her. She took the glass and drank a little before noticing the nurse button that had been sitting to the left of it. She shrugged at it and figured someone would be in there in a short while anyway, right now she needed time to think on her own anyway.

How on earth had she gotten here? Maybe the Avengers got Loki after she was picked up and accused him of stabbing her. With the information Vera had withheld from S.H.I.E.L.D. about Loki's visits she was sure that would be the first thing one would assume. Was New York okay? Did they beat Loki in the end? Or was she dead or something. The lack of people in the room with her made her a bit confused.

Yet again Vera's eyes fluttered towards the nurse button. Pressing it might have actually been her best bet all along. Cautiously she pressed the button, and almost immediately Tony, Steve, and Thor had entered the room.

"SHE'S ALIVE!" Tony said throwing his arms in the air as he walked over towards the bed handing her a plastic takeout box that had "Get well soon" written in pen on it. She laughed a bit, happy to see that they had all been alright, before opening it and seeing a pita sandwich in the box.

"It's Shawarma!" He said urging her to try a piece; she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Anyway you could tell me how I got here first? What happened back in New York is everyone okay? Did we win?"

"Well," Rodgers said crossing his arms, "We found you back at the top of Stark tower with Loki after the final fight was over…"

"Oh don't skip out on details!" Stark said nudging him. "I flew a nuke aimed at New York into the portal, Natasha closed as soon as I got out, and the day was saved." He told her giving a cocky smile. Steve just shook his head a little but smiled nonetheless, it appeared he was finally getting used to Tony.

"Then we went up to get my brother, only to find him trying to tend to your wounds, Vera." Thor said looking at her worried. "He surrendered; his only condition being to make sure you got treatment for your wound."

"He's really taking an interest in you hasn't he?" Steve said crossing his arms as if asking for an explanation, all the while looking angry at just the mention of Loki's name. Vera only looked away from him and back at the sandwich grabbing it and taking a bite. At first she only tasted the Lettuce and tomato and lemon poppy seed dressing, but then she tasted the well spiced meat and amazing tenderness of it all wrapped around a perfectly toasted pitta. She quickly took another bite catching the sauce on her fingers and licking them to save the flavor.

"This is amazing," she said to Tony between bites smiling up at him. She was hoping he'd bail her out of an explanation way overdue. "Thank you."

Tony nodded to her and was about to talk again, but Captain continued to press her, "Vera don't change topics."

She placed the sandwich down, and guiltily looked up at the three. "To be honest, I kind of purposely forgot to tell you guys that Loki visited me twice through a doppelganger before you picked me up in Germany."

"He visited you?" Thor asked confused at this, Tony sat down in a chair at this looking as if he had seen it coming. "For what purpose?"

"He said he wanted to know why I didn't bow down to him, what made me the way I was, that I was unlike any human he met before." She said softly, "Then he well had conversations with me and I guess took a liking to me." She said turning her head back to her food.

"Why didn't you tell us this earlier? You were in danger by being at the base!" Steve said walking towards her.

"You told me Fury suspected me of being a lackey of Loki's, if I mentioned that wouldn't it have been more suspicious? Besides at that moment it really didn't seem important, but nonetheless I am sorry."

"She's right you know." Tony said flatly, before turning to look at Thor, "Do you still want to do what you were planning buddy?" He asked him causing Vera to look confused as she finished her last delicious bite.

"It's most definitely not a good idea anymore; she needs to stay here away from him!" Steve said marching over to Tony who kept looking at the god. Why did he seem so riled up about it? Vera watched the three in curiosity.

Thor looked back at Vera, examining the confused looking girl sitting up in the Hospital bed. "The Man of metal speaks true, if Loki feels strong enough for this human to try and heal her, she is vital in the task of making Loki accept good."

"Wait, what?" she asked leaning towards him cocking her head to the side. "You want me to rehabilitate him?"

"He will not listen to me, and it appears that you seem to be the one thing he cares about." He looked the little mortal square in the eye, "With your permission I would like to ask you to come back to Asgard with me and Loki."

"She could get hurt!" Steve argued, "What if he doesn't listen? What if he lashes out on her?She doesn't understand how to hold herself back when she's angry and Loki… "

"She will have my oath of protection," Thor said trying to ease the Captain who seemed strangly concerned for the girl. "She will not get injured again under my watch."

"She's the only chance he has Cap." Tony said nodding "As soon as she's healed they should go, the sooner Loki gets out of here the better.

"I'll go with you," Vera said nodding to the both Stark and Thor. "If you really think I can make a change then I'll try, besides at this point I'm pretty sure I owe Loki my life." She said softly avoiding Steve's gaze unsure of what he'd think of her.

"Then it's settled." Thor said nodding to her, "How long until she is healed?" Stark got up and walked over taking a look at the medical record's above her head reading it at a rapid pace.

"She can be released by tomorrow if necessary but she can't do anything too crazy or her wound will open up." Stark said quickly placing it back on the hook above Vera's head.

"What about her studies?" Captain questioned still not giving up.

"I can do some work while I'm there I guess, or just take a leave of studies until he's rehabilitated." She said sighing. "This is more important to me right now, I can make a difference without almost getting myself killed." She looked at him trying to convey that she wanted to be useful to him, not the burden she had been up to this point.

"Oh before I forget," Tony unfolded a note and handed it to her, "It's from some woman that you rescued to my place. She asked me to give it to you. " He ruffled her hair and walked back to where the others had been.

"Let us go! This human needs her rest!" Thor boomed before leaving the room followed by Stark.

"Just be careful Vera" Steve said giving her a small smile and a wary eye before leaving the room as well.

Vera turned her attention to the small letter she had been handed she opened it slowly, and began to read it.

" _Thank you so much for finding my daughter and bringing her back to me, Nadia told me how far you went to save her, and I am so thankful to hear that you are okay. I will never forget what you have done for my little girl, you are a saint young lady. _

_Please take care of yourself and I wish you a safe and speedy recovery._

_-Diana Mccoll"_

Vera smiled happy to see that the daughter had in fact returned to her mother, she placed the note on her side desk table. She was ready for whatever was to happen next, she had survived this, how much worse could it have gotten.

Confident, and full of hope Vera rested her head on her pillow. She stared again at the note and then slowly felt her eye's become heavy.

**Otay that's it for this chapter, t-minus 2 chapters to go until the twist is revealed. Though I should try not to build anything up, hope you guys enjoyed Vera's wake up let me know what you think is going to happen and REVIEW PLEASE!**

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Found one miss type and added some more descriptions.**


	11. Rise

Vera met at the park with everyone as she arrived with Steve, her eyes immediately darted towards Loki, who was staring at her. He had some sort of metal jaw grip on his mouth stopping him from speaking, but his eyes looked at her as if he was happy to see her walking around again. That gleeful look turned dark as his eyes looked down beneath her chin. Vera looked to see what the fuss was about before she realized. She had been wearing a V-neck S.H.I.E.L.D. had provided her with and her new scar was showing.

As Thor gestured for her to come near him she followed it and walked over to the side opposite of Loki, whose eyes darted to Thor and back at Vera as if confused to what she was doing. A man Vera hadn't seen before pulled out a glass like tube, out of a truck and walked over to Tony who had a silver brief case. Banner grabbed a pair of silver tongs and slowly grabbed the cube putting it in the center of the tube.

Was that what opened the portal and made those things? It glowed so bright and beautifully, and looked well other worldly. She could only assume it had a massive amount of power. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Steve watching her reactions and out of the other Loki's. They both seemed on edge about her fascination with it.

Thor walked over to the unknown man gave him a pat on the shoulder and talked to him for a bit. Loki turned to Vera and raised an eyebrow as if asking why she had been there. She sighed and quietly whispered, "I'm going back with you two, and Thor wants me to rehabilitate you." Loki's eyebrows twitched at that and Vera was unable to decipher its meaning. She assumed it had been shock, but there was a slight dimness to his eyes that made her think otherwise.

The thunder god walked back over towards them holding the tube he lifted it up for Loki to take the other side of it and he cautiously did, then Thor turned to Vera. "Give me your hand Mortal," and without hesitation she did. Thor nodded to the others, and then turned his handle and within a blink of her eye she had been transported with them to an amazing hall.

"Welcome to Asgard Vera," Thor said letting go of Vera's hand gesturing to the magnificent building. "More importantly, my home." Vera gasped at the architecture and art that was on display, then again remembering the fact that she had been on another world in a different galaxy. Loki's eye brows raised amused at her reactions. "I glad you like it," Thor said smiling at the girl, as a soldier ran around the corner and straight to Thor.

"Odin wishes to see you both," the soldier said before looking at Vera in confusion. Vera blinked at this, turning to Loki and giving him a look asking what had been wrong. Loki's eyes darted up and down her, and her question had been answered. Her appearance was strange to the soldier, she wore the black V-neck tee, skinny jeans, and sneakers, and she figured most of the woman who lived here sported dresses and such.

"Right please escort Loki to a cell," he said pushing Loki towards the man, he nodded and the two of them walked away. He turned his head and looked again at Vera as if saying goodbye and wishing her luck. She returned the gaze with a small wave.

"Come this way," Thor said walking down the hall.

"Should I change my appearance?" she asked unaware if it would startle any others.

"No you're fine as you are," Thor said as he turned waiting for her to catch up with him, "My father should meet you as you appear naturally before you are allowed to do anything."

"Oh," Vera said understanding now that she hadn't necessarily actually gotten the job yet. They arrived at a huge set of doors and Thor knocked them out of the way and stormed in leaving Vera a bit baffled at his strength, before rushing in behind him timidly.

"Father!" The blonde giant bellowed walk straight up to the Throne the white haired man had sat at. Vera kept her distance and stood merely at the edge of the stairs beginning to feel alienated.

"Thor, It is good to see you, I hear you brought your brother home" He said nodding to his son, Vera stood feeling the intimidation of the man sitting in front of her sink in. He had a golden eye patch and was a tiny bit bigger than Thor. His presence was overbearingly wise, noble and yet destructive at the same time. "But, I did not hear of this girl. To what purpose have you brought her here for?"

Thor then went on to explain all that she had accomplished with Loki, from Germany up to New York. "He wanted her saved you say?" Odin asked Thor after looking Vera over again eyes stopping at her battle scar in curiosity. "By the look of how she is already almost recovered, he must have done some healing on her."

"Yes father, the only condition of his surrender was for the promise of her good health."

"And, you want this girl to spend time with Loki in order to return him to his true self?"

"Yes."

"What is your name girl?"

"Vera Haworth" she said slightly bowing a bit. "Vera means faith sir."

"Does it? That must be in one of your planet's languages then, that's good you will need this." He paused for a moment. "Lady Haworth, you shall take an oath to stay faithful and promise to reform our young Prince of Asgard. With this oath it will change your life as well as your name, so all will know that you are sworn to this task."

Vera's eyes widened, "A change in name?" How could something as simple as that hold an effect on her life, no matter what she was Vera, no one could take that away from her. Hell she had made sure back in Germany of that, but the way Odin spoke it seemed true.

"Yes," Odin said to her, "Please get down on one Knee," She did as she was told and Odin walked down to her, he held his hand above her head and it began to glow, "Do you Vera Haworth, swear to stand by Loki Prince of Asgard until he has given up his evil intentions and returns to the path of righteousness."

"I swear." Vera said almost hesitantly.

"Do you promise to not lose faith in him no matter what he does?"

"I promise"

"Do you swear that if you break any of these rules or fail in your task that you will willingly drop your title and return to your world."

"I swear."

Odin smiled at her and lowered his hand, "Vera Haworth is now gone, arise Lady Sigyn of fidelity."

**BOOOOOOOOM! Dropped the twist early, hope you guys aren't to mad, or that it wasn't too obvious, after maybe a week or two I'll drop the LokixOC and put up a LokixSigyn but yeah tell me if you saw it coming or what you think of it. **

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Added more detail was a tad bit short, still kinda is but I did what I could without changing too much content.**


	12. Settling in

Vera or rather Sigyn found herself been escorted to Loki's cell she was now wearing a white gown and her hair was pulled back and adorned with golden accessories, Odin had instructed his guards to treat her as a royal guest, which made her feel all the more uncomfortable. Her head reeled at the thought of her new life here, what would anyone back home think of her, rehabbing a prince all the while getting treated like royalty, not to mention the name change.

Sigyn, the name was foreign to her, like the sudden surroundings. She was comfortable as Vera, it was an odd name but it didn't stand out as much as Sigyn had. What would Loki say about it? Or would he still have that thing on his mouth.

Odin had been right about her life changing, she could feel it. There was something within her that had been born anew that was attached to Loki in a way that Vera hadn't been. It was like every emotion in her body had been maximized, like she had been stretched out. It was an odd thing to think about let alone describe.

Eventually the guards stopped at a door and unlocked gesturing for Sigyn/Vera to step in. She saw Loki sitting there in a small normal room looking out a window, as the door shut behind her he turned showing her that his mouth guard had been removed.

"Vera?" He asked getting up looking concerned, but she shook her head and sighed and sat down on a nearby chair hands finding their way to her stress releasing spot on her forehead. "What's wrong did father say something cruel to you?"

She shook her head again looking up at him, her feelings of detachment showing, "I'm not Vera anymore."

"What do you mean?" Loki asked cautiously walking over to her.

"My name is Sigyn," she said to him her voice almost faltering at her new identity. "When I swore myself in to reform you I was given a new name. I agreed to it I just, I just don't feel like me right now sorry. So if I do a bad job today please forgive me."

"You gave up your identity for a cause, these feelings are natural." He said softly examining her as if it had happened often. "Fidelity?" he asked softly bending down to look into her eyes. "Why would father make you commit to such a thing?"

"He cares about you," she responded softly, "enough to be happy your back, and make me swear to do my best to bring you back."

He stood and looked away from her, "You've only just met him."

"Yet your all that was talked about," silence filled the room again. "I… I never did get to thank you for saving me." Vera said looking back at him. "The girl I was stabbed for made it back to her mother, if you were wondering."

"You should have listened to me and stayed put."

"Then that girl would have been stabbed."

"Better her than you," Loki said coldly.

She stood up and walked over to him anger back on her face, "Don't say that! She was so young she had a lot more to live for than me."

Loki turned now looking equally angry at her. "That my dear Sigyn," her expression fell at the use of her new name, "is arguable."

She walked back to her chair unsure of how to respond , "It still doesn't sound right." She said softly, and Loki's anger disappeared and he motioned for her to sit on the bench with him, hesitantly she got up and did as told. "How does it feel to be back?" She asked.

"Nostalgic, yet at the same time suffocating," he said looking back out the window. "I am the least to say disappointed I did not reach my goal with your planet."

"Maybe it's just the way things were meant to happen?" Siygn suggested, looking out at the wonderful land as well.

"I am also relieved to see you have recovered." He looked at her chest, and her eyes fell upon it too before her hand gently covered her battle scar.

"Your only condition was my safety?" she asked looking into his eyes, "Am I really that important?"

"Your name change was not enough to tell you?" He said avoiding her eyes, she figured to him his feelings for her had been a weakness.

"I guess, I just," she hesitated before continuing, "I feel like I owe you, you know? That's why I really came and did all that, you deserve that second chance and if I'm the only one that can give it to you well," she smiled at him "I can handle a little identity crisis to do that."

He shook his head at her, "Do you really think you can change me?"

"It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

"Maybe but, what about your life on earth, are you really willing to throw it all away just at the hope of changing me."

"I can do art here," she said smiling a little "and besides with the way people have been treating me since I've gotten here I think any piece I made here would instantly find it's self a popularity."

"So you are being treated fairly here?" Loki asked trying to hide the concern in his voice by looking back outside the window.

"Of course, I'm Odin's guest here," she said sighing not liking the sudden attention, "How about you, the guards treating you okay?"

"Besides telling me I am the disgrace of Asgard and that Odin's favoring of me shall be the kingdom's downfall, they are treating me like a noble prisoner."

Sigyn sighed, "Remind me to make a point to ask they restrain from talking to you,"

"You have that power?"

She nodded, "If I say you should be getting steak and caviar for dinner every night to further your progress apparently it shall be done."

He blinked at this, "They put this much faith in you?"

"They want the best results for their prince."

The door suddenly opened and Siygn stood as the guard walked in, "Your morning session is over Lady Siygn please come with me and I will take you to the workshop you have requested." She nodded and walked towards him, "She will be back to see you before the night is out Silver tongue." Loki frowned at the name but nodded a goodbye to her.

"Why did you call him that?" she asked him harshly as he closed the door behind them.

"You have yet to learn of all of his actions against Asgard." The guard responded coldly to her.

"And you forget that I've seen what he's done on Earth Provoking him is not the best idea." She responded back using the same bitter tone he had. He remained silent at that. "Well, I guess for now then all I can ask from you is to avoid speaking with him," Siygn said staring at him, " mister…"

"Forseti," he said swiftly, "My name is Forseti Lady."

"Oh well nice to meet you then" she said stopping holding out her hand for him to shake; he only looked at her strangely. "It's a handshake, you take my hand and shake it" He did as told quickly and continued walking. She sighed realizing he hadn't been the most social of people.

**I'm ending the chapter here today because I am dried up of creativity, if you guys have any ideas for a short topic between Loki and Sigyn or a short thing to happen to just Sigyn please let me know, chapters might start coming out slower if I don't get inspiration soon.**

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Beefed up and added some more inner conflict for Sigyn.**

**EDITED COMMENT 2: I am so embarrassed I didn't catch the committee thing I apologize for that as well as couple other spelling errors.**


	13. Family

`After she had changed back into her jeans and t-shirt she found herself staring at the workspace she had been provided, it had been massive. The small table she had in Germany was one third the size of the great wooden wonder that stood before her. Plus there were shelves underneath it stocked up with brushes and paints and to Vera's wildest dreams piles and piles of metal. Her hand twitched with excitement as it picked up the wire.

She closed her eyes and began to let her mind wander towards her next subject. Beginning to feel herself become homesick her mind wandered to Germany and her friend Jules. Slowly the green orbs opened and petite hands worked on the frame of her face. It had been so long since she last seen her, she had been sick and locked in her room since the night before Loki first appeared. It was no big deal, she could write her….

"Oh wait," Sigyn's realization halted her progress and stared at her surroundings now realizing the distance she had really created between herself and her old world. She couldn't write, email, or even call any of her old friends, or her sister, what would Ada do when she didn't come back summer break. Surely S.H.I.E.L.D. would do something to keep things under wraps for her, keep her sister at ease.

But she still wouldn't see her, they only had each other for family, would she be okay without Vera? She was the older sister, and she had been taking care of Vera for so long but, to not see her until, well whenever Loki was, normal. Was that even possible? Why she always agree to things without thinking them through? She hit her fist against the table in anger, before her hands went back to her head.

"Create, Create…" she told herself trying to get herself out of her rut she refocused on working on the frame furiously tying knots and bending wires in the shape of her sister. While she was furiously knotting away, she heard footsteps walking into the room.

"What's got you so furious?" She looked up surprised to see Loki standing in front of her.

"I…" she stopped herself trying to calm down, "It's not important just homesick."

"That's making you angry?" He asked sitting down across from her. "Or is this just how you feel sadness."

"I guess I'm just working my way through the seven stages," she said softly turning back to her work, "Isn't it a bit risky, to be doubling yourself right now? What if they come in?"

"Of grief?" he asked looking at her ignoring her last query, "Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance?"

"Those are the steps" she said bitterly working on the ears.

"What for? Are you in regret of coming here Ver-"

"Please don't use that name, it's making it harder."

"And Sigyn won't?"

"I'm hoping to skip bargaining and Depression, but then again that could be considered bargaining." She sighed and shook her head. He gave her a concerned look, "Oh what do you care?" she yelled at him getting up and storming away from him and the table, "The sooner I leave the sooner everyone can give up on you like you want them too! All they do is love and care for you and you just ignore it! I never had parents alright, they died before I could even remember them, and you sit there moaning about how Daddy never loved you."

Her eyes welded up with tears at Loki's shocked expression, "My sister gave up college and high school to take care of me after that car crash! She gave up everything to raise me and I just abandoned her to look after the royal prince of another planet, hell I left her to study in Germany! And now I'm not sure if I'll be able to see her again." She looked at him feeling both regret and anger when she asked the next question, "Are you even going to consider how fortunate you are, that they'll take you back after all this? You've hurt and killed people and all the want from you is to return to who you were, before you let so much petty shit get between you and your family."

Loki looked blankly at her as she finished leaning her back against a wall and sliding down curling herself up into a feudal position. Her emotions were much stronger now with her change it got her riled up quicker which of course made her angry rants all the more personal.

"You," his voice sounded a bit shocked still, "never mentioned your family." She looked away from him but heard his footsteps come close to her. "I'm sorry."

"It happened so long ago, I barley even knew them, don't worry about it."

"You mentioned your sister?"

"Her name is Ada," Vera said softly, "she wanted to grow up and be a doctor, but she had me to take care of and bills to pay, we couldn't afford to send her off to college too. She was always bossy but after she gave me a look and I would instantly do as told."

"Were you a trouble maker?" He asked smirking at her.

"A little," she said smiling back beginning to relax again, "Nothing to big but, every kids does you know?"

"You sound like you love her," he said softly changing subjects.

"Yeah I do love her, she's my sister, closest friend you can hope for." Sigyn looked back at Loki, "Weren't you like that with Thor."

"My brother had his own friends, and while they liked thrashing their brawn about I liked to just read, we're exact opposites."

"But he still considers you close; he's one of the few people here who still has faith in you."

"Now I think his faith in me lies in you, Sigyn." He said sitting down next to her. "He has yet to visit me once during my time here, mother visited, Father has yet to but Mother promises he will."

"I am I really that special to you?" she asked him turning to him staring him in the eyes.

"I, I honestly can't say," Loki said looking back at her, "These talks we have, me rescuing you, my curiosity for you and the way you are, is overwhelming me. You treat me like I am normal, even though you've seen what I am. Your actions and how you will throw your own life away for someone else's or even just and ideal makes me furious and even more curious for you. You are odd, little mortal so fragile and yet so strong. I want to know everything about you, and you keep surprising me." He shook his head, "A puzzle I can't wait to finish I guess."

"My sister would like you," Vera said smiling at him "She'd say the same thing about me if she had known what I've done in the past few days. She'd be furious but then ask me for exact details of what happened and how once she calmed down." He looked at her as if deep in thought about the idea.

"Would you let me meet her?"

"I don't see why not," Sigyn said shrugging, "I've met your family, why couldn't you meet mine?"

The door opened and Loki disappeared before Sigyn could respond, she looked up to see Forseti entering the room. "The All father has invited you to dinner Lady; I am to escort you to your chambers so you can dress appropriately." He looked at her strangely as if wondering why she had been on the floor, as she stood up.

"Thank you, hopefully I can get the hang of this place so you don't have to walk me around everywhere, it must be troublesome." He shook his head as she arrived at the door.

"Lady Sigyn it is my job and honor to walk Odin's guest around our great land."

"Thank you," she said smiling at him, "but aren't there other things that can be done to I don't want to take up your time."

"Out of the question, if anything happens to Odin's guest it will be most unfortunate."

So he had been protecting her, but from what? Sigyn shook her head, she had other things to worry about….like dinner with a royal family.

**Okay that is it for today, it was a long one for me and I barley go any writing in so please excuse it's shortness but there shall be more tomorrow. I want to thank KyokoHonda49 for her wonderful tips in which I sort of used some in this chapter more of the suggestions in her review are most likely going to be used later, thank you so much for helping me get back into things!**

**Also another thanks to Elizabeth S. Slytherin who helped bring Loki into this chapter, who is also by the by my first German reader ever! **

**I just want to thank everyone who favorited or followed this story it means so much to me to see you guys like what I'm writing, I'm happy to be able to catch your guys attention and creativity!**

**EDITED COMMENT 1: Added some dialogue between Loki and scene and beefed up some of the phrasings.**


	14. Accidental Conversation

Awkward, that was the only way to describe how Sigyn's dinner with Odin, his wife and Thor went. They asked for her to tell them about herself and smiled at her but there was an unspoken tension that hung in the air. They wanted to know about Loki's progress but dared not to ask out loud.

On her way out Thor walked over to her and had asked if he would be allowed to go with her to see Loki, she of course agreed. "He mentioned that you hadn't been in to see him yet."

"Did he?"

"Well, I was home sick and started talking about my sister, and he was interested at how close we were." She said thoughtfully, "He also mentioned how you guys were polar opposites."

"We had very different views when we were younger and I was more foolish," he said softly a hint of regret lingered in his voice. "I would fight with my other colleges while he would read on the sidelines. It was hard then for us to get along."

"But you've changed?"

"Yes, but unfortunately Loki has yet to really see that."

She nodded as the guard opened the door for the pair of them, Sigyn slipping in first Thor towering in after her.

"Brought company," she said delicately sitting down as Loki gave the pair a blank look.

"Brother," Loki said nodding to him standing, "how good it is to see yo-" Before he could finish his sarcastic remark Thor had pulled Loki into a bear hug silencing him with shock. Sigyn began to feel awkward yet again at the overwhelming family love that was in the room. Feeling both homesick and like an intruder she left the room, and walked down the hall she remembered going down for her room.

"Left, and then a right at that one window thingy and then…." She stared at the fork in the hall in front of her unsure of which way to go. She took a breath and followed her instincts that told her to go left and she turned finding herself in an unfamiliar area. She was about to turn herself around when she heard an ice cold sounding voice say,

"You will kidnap Loki at midnight, and I shall send a snake to drip poison on him?"

She stopped her tracks and immediately listened in on the conversation.

"Yes Skaði," a man said in return. "Odin is a fool to let him live, we shall fix that error of judgment and get rid of the sinner."

"But what will Odin say Njörðr?"

"He will understand, after our dead is done my love." Sigyn slowly turned and but as soon as she moved she heard footsteps racing towards her.

"A RAT!" The colder woman's voice boomed as Sigyn was grabbed from behind and spun around to see a blonde haired man stand in front of her.

"I was lost I apologize for intruding." Sigyn said trying to play innocent but the blonde man raised an eyebrow at her.

"Maybe, but you are the Prince's healer are you not we don't need you running to Odin or Thor about our plan." He nodded to the woman behind her and Sigyn had been knocked out and dropped to the floor.

**Okay guys sorry I didn't update yesterday and this chapter is so short, Last night when I started writing I found myself getting a bad case of food poisoning. I don't have much energy or focus to do much of anything right now so I did my best to quickly wrap up this chapter. Sorry if it's not my best work or anything I'm just so icky. Hopefully after some rest I'll be back up to par, or I'll rewrite this if it's bad.**

**Let me know what you guys think! Love you all!**


	15. Sigyn's Legend

Vera slowly woke up after being shaken half to death, "Lady Sigyn! Lady Sigyn!" She looked at Forseti in confusion as she tried to remember why she had been lying on the ground. "What happened?"

"What time is it?" She asked as soon as she could regain the pieces of her memories.

"It's midnight," he said helping her up.

"It's too late then," she said panicking, "I have to find him,"

"Find who Malady?"

"Loki, he's being captured or was captured we need to…"

"It's for the best." His words dropped the frantic look off of Vera's face and it quickly was replaced with anger.

"You knew?" she asked eyes turning to slits as she glared at him.

"I helped them," he said plainly "Loki deserves to answer for his actions." She looked around her trying to see if there was anyone walking by, "You also don't belong here." She curved her attention back to him. "Don't you want to go back home to your world, a woman like you doesn't belong in this kind of life, you are like Lady Sif only too weak to hold purpose, give it time and you will only bend to Loki's will."

"Now I know why he ended up the way he did," Sigyn said feeling her anger burn up inside her, she walked over to a vase lightly tapped it over and watched it shatter before picking up the biggest shard she could find. She gripped it and held it up to her neck in a threatening demeanor. "Tell me where he is and how to get there or you lose your honor as a royal guard."

He blinked at her and then hardened his expression, "You wouldn't dare." She lifted up her dress shirt revealing her battle wound from New York.

"I got this by trying to save a helpless child, I will do the same to protect someone from stupid rash judgment!" She yelled before putting the jagged shard against her neck, after a few moments of contemplating the guard caved in.

"Two lefts and three rights and you'll reach the gardens," she dropped the piece and ran from Forseti following his directions. Her eyes crossed a bowl and she quickly picked it up and emptied it of the sand that had been carelessly put inside it and kept it on her until she reached the gardens.

"LOKI?!" She yelled at the top of her lungs as she desperately looked around, "where are you?" She heard grunting noises coming from the direction of a giant green wall to her right, she immediately ran into the break in the wall surprised to find herself in a maze. "Loki!" Another grunt from the right, she made the turn running and occasionally tripping over her dress. "I'm coming I'm so sorry If I was faster or stronger…"

She finally turned and saw him, he had been chained to the ground under a tree, shirt torn off so his chest had been open to the snake on the branch above him's venom. She swiftly stood above him placing the bowl under the snakes mouth catching its seeping toxin.

"V-Vera?" his voice sounded so weak and she saw that his face had some scaring and burns from the poison.

"Yeah it's me," she said glad to see he wasn't dead. "Sorry, I tried to get here as fast as I could."

"How did you even?"

"I overheard Skaði, and Njörðr."

"Of course you did," he said coughing, "When are you not getting yourself in trouble."

"I could say the same for you," she said softly sorry to see Loki in such a state.

"Did father order them to do this?" he asked her looking pitiful.

"No, they did on their own accord thinking it's best for Asgard or some bull shit like that." Sigyn said biting her tongue as she slowly moved to sit down keeping her bowl centered bellow the snakes mouth. "There no better than you were." She said coldly. "How could anyone ever do something like this to anyone they are the evil ones! Calling you names, making you out to be odd, saying I didn't belong here. Is this what it was like for you?"

He looked away from her.

"I'm sorry, I said what I said back then about you being spoiled and stuff." She said easing her tone. "I… " he moved his hands from under the chains to her free hand and grasped it.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, the time I've spent with you," he frowned at her as if the compliments that left his mouth were scolding remarks, "You've understood me the most, and been able to pull past my actions and pull out the old me. You have nothing to apologize for you saint."

She blinked at him, saint? Before she could clear her mind she found herself being pulled down to where his head was so they had been face to face and he placed a kiss on her forehead. "My sweetest friend," he said looking her straight in the eye "deserves to know that about herself."

"Th-thank you," she said pulling herself up and looking back at the bowl, it had been half full.

**Okay so that's it for today, short again I know but it's easier for me to crank things out this way. Hope you guys enjoyed it!**


	16. Found But still Lost

As the sun began to rise Sigyn felt her sleepiness kick in but shook her head and bit her lip keeping her focus on holding the bowl. She had already quickly emptied the venom in a dead end of the maze not too far from where they were about 5 times that night.

"Are you alright Sigyn?" Loki asked her becoming concerned at her sudden tired appearance.

"I'm fine just," she took a breath in as she switched hands again, "just keep talking" They had spent the night talking about their child hoods and what it had been like, Loki was extremely interested in hers as if knowing every little detail about it would somehow decode how she became who she was.

"You were about to tell me about why you chose to go to Germany for college."

"Right, well," she sighed a little, "Would you believe that I wanted to see the Berlin wall? The cold war and how people handled it always fascinated me, and the way people tore it down was just a liberating site to see." She closed her eyes reimagining both sides of Berlin breaking the thing in order to be able to see one another again. "And when I first got there I made sure to check it out before I went anywhere else."

"Was it everything you imagined?"

"Yes," she said softly, "That and maybe even a tiny bit more. Being able to actually set foot where those people had, to be able to touch it and see how many people discarded it and grafitied it making it a part of the new culture instead of just dumping it was well amazing." She looked at him and smiled, "It tells us to embrace our past not just ignore it."

"You wish for me to embrace the fact I had been a disgrace to my world?" he asked sounding amused at her speech.

"Did mean for it to come out that way but it would be nice," she said sighing. "You can't change what you've done, you can only try to do better and move on."

"You say it like it's simple."

"Yeah," She said looking at him as he turned his head away from her, "But then again, I've done that numerous times with you." He looked back at her and blinked. "Well to start with you were mean to me and threatened me and humiliated me in that crowd, but I learned to stand up for myself and how to go out strong."

"Then there was the time you came back to talk to me, and then threatened me yet again only to get a little response out of me, that taught me not to be as trusting." She said thoughtfully checking the bowl to see how much it had been filled. "Then there was the whole killing thing, and that taught me to," she paused frowning at the remembrance of Phil's body. "That taught me to be cautious."

"What about when you were stabbed?"

"That taught me to be thankful for life," she said smiling at him, "and it let your brother know that there is still hope for you."

"And this?"

"That I need to have a word with your father as soon as this is all over." She said tone changing to a colder one. "This place needs a few changes." He stared at her yet again trying to see what she had been thinking. "It's nothing to bad, I just, I don't want anyone to end up having a childhood like yours again. Anything else you want to know?" She changed the subject before he could respond to her.

"Did you have any friends in Germany?"

"Well there's Jules," she said smiling remembering her fashion loving friend, "She's a fashion major, and lived for designing outfits, she would sometimes make me wear some of it around the dorm to see how it looked. Occasionally she even made me model for a class."

"What's she like?"

"She's quiet when you first meet her but once you become friends she becomes really loud, and she somehow manages to befriend everyone in a room, if she's with someone she knows. She changes her hair color frequently and well, she's my best friend." She shrugged. "We're kind of opposites though, she likes to party and dance all night, and I just like to read or make a sculpture, but we complement each other and help one another to balance things out."

He stayed silent as she finished as if listening in the distance, to something Sigyn couldn't hear. "Thor is coming," And without any delay she could hear the blonde giant yelling out their names.

"Over here!" Sigyn yelled glad to have someone finally coming to rescue them. After a few moments Thor turned around the corner and saw Loki and Sigyn, he instantly went to his brother's bounds and broke them with his hands with ease, then he went to his feet and did the same.

'

"How long were you like this?" He asked pulling his brother up to his feet as Sigyn finally dropped the bowl and massaged her wrists.

"All night, " she said turning to Thor, "Skaði, Njörðr, and Forseti –" she watched as Thor's eyes widened at the names, "captured him and put him here."

"They will be punished as soon as I tell father," He grabbed Loki's arm and threw it over his shoulder letting him lean on him.

"I'm going with you when you tell him." She said sternly standing. "I have a lot to say to him about all this." Thor nodded, and walked out of the maze closely followed by Sigyn.

**Okay sorry I haven't updated in a while, I just needed a few days to just be able to relax for a little while so I think I'll just make it a thing to not update on the weekends, with maybe the exception of Sunday. Either way I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter more to come tomorrow or maybe even tonight who knows?**

**OH AND GUESS WHAT! WE HIT OVER 5,000 VIEWS WOO! I am celebrating my ass of right now it's great! Oh and me and my friend just started a let's play show on youtube called Nerd's R us, if you like games like Mass Effect or Assassin's Creed check it out!**


	17. Closer

As they arrived in the throne room Sigyn was surprised to see that a crowd had gathered. Loki was behind them, being helped by two guards, to be evidence as to what had happened the night before. As soon as they stepped in Sigyn could hear the people gasp and murmur about his weak and scarred appearance. Odin stood at his throne, as he saw Loki and his attention, or rather his glare, turned to Skaði, Njörðr, and Forseti who had been surrounded by guards.

"So what the guards tell me is true."

"Yes Father," Thor said nodding to him "We are fortunate that Lady Sigyn had been by Loki's side or the snake's poison could have taken him from us." He nodded to me and smiled before changing his gaze yet again to a death glare.

"You three disgrace Asgard with your actions!" His voice boomed with anger, almost making Sigyn feel bad for them. "Trying to kill my son!"

"He is a traitor!" Forseti yelled pointing at him, " Instead of facing that truth you decide to hire that flimsy Mortal in a foolish attempt to cure him of his evils! What could such a woman do?"

"You know not of what you speak!" Odin yelled back.

"What progress has she made?" He said pointing at her glaring practically spitting in her direction. "He is still the sycophantic man that attempted to murder his brother."

"What chance do your people give him!" Sigyn yelled back, "From the start of his life he was treated as an outsider," she gestured towards a surprised looking Loki. "It was not Odin who singled you out Loki! It was your lands culture! You all thrive on strength and brutality, so much that when one such as Loki or me comes along we are immediately separated from all activity involving others. People like us will be forced to spend our time alone reading making us appear mischievous or weak, which is frowned upon here."

"Loki spent his days alone wondering where he fit in, and when he couldn't come up with an answer he tried to make one for himself." Sigyn watched Odin as she spoke not daring to look away from the one eye that stared back at her. As she went on she could see realization in them. "What happens when another child like Loki enters this world? The same thing would happen again, and your people would just kill him for your own wrongs!" She looked to Forseti. "Are you happy at what you created?"

He stayed quiet and glared at her, "I knew that wretch would side with him! You let her near him and he'll-"

"SILENCE!" Odin's voice commanded.

Everyone instantly turned to look at him.

"Lady Sigyn speaks the truth, you are a fool not to listen to her Forseti." He shook his head, "You all shall be placed in the dungeons for your crimes against the royal family." The guards swiftly pulled the three of them out of the hall, each of them glared at Sigyn as they passed, she just stared coldly back. "Please tend to Loki's wounds in his room, and have two different guards on post at his door."

The guards helping Loki bowed and helped Loki out of the room, Vera turned around to wave him goodbye but he did not look at her.

"Sigyn," Thor's voice brought her attention back forward.

"You have proven yourself very worth of this job, Lady Sigyn." Odin said to her and she bowed a bit in response. "I believe Thor's friend Sif would be a better guard than Forseti proved to be." I woman decked in armor stepped out of the crowd bowing to the all father before stepping next to Sigyn.

"It would be my honor." She said smiling at her.

"I could recommend no one greater," Thor said giving Sigyn a pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you," Sigyn said returning their grins.

"What you've told us about our habits is also true," Their heads turned back to the throne. "I believe that once Loki completes his time with you, he could help those that are like him, it will give him purpose. And if you wish you can aid him with his task."

She blinked at that unable to respond, stay here longer? She wasn't quite sure if that had been a good idea or not. All this time she had been doing this to go home right? She thought of Loki, and not being able to see him or talk with him anymore, the thought felt strange, it made her chest feel tighter.

"I think she'll have to think about that for a little while," Sif said nodding to her concerned at the expressions she had been making.

"Of course please return to you work with Loki, you have the right to see him anytime you wish now, you've earned that." And with that Sif and Sigyn took their leave.

"You're very brave," she said to her as they exited the hall ", I don't know many people who would willingly sit and talk with Loki let alone save him."

"I've been told that," Sigyn replied laughing a bit. "But you are too right? I didn't see too many women out there with Armor."

"Yes, I had to fight for my right to wear such attire." Vera stared at her in awe, she was everything she wanted to be, strong, independent, confident, and well beautiful. She barley thought as the next thing spilled out of her mouth.

"Is there any way you could teach me to be strong?" She laughed at how blunt she was.

"Now I see why Thor said he liked you," she said turning as the approached Loki's room. "I can train you to wield a sword maybe but strength comes from within."

Siygn nodded, "A sword works too." She said quietly realizing her eagerness. She opened Loki's door surprised to see a woman tending to the scars on Loki's face, he still wasn't wearing a shirt and the way the nurse was bending over him looked like…

She blushed and shook the thought out of her head, for some reason it angered her. Why would that have that sort of effect?

"I am fine," Loki said to the women tending to him, "Sigyn can do those things while we have our chat, leave us!" The woman dropped her cloth by the table beside his bed looking terrified and gladly left the room. Sigyn stared awkwardly as she passed before Loki's shout startled her. "Vera! Come here,"

"There's no need to shout," she said sighing walking over and picking up the cloth, "You didn't have to yell at her you know."

"She upset you though." He said flatly staring at her confused.

"She didn't-"

"Your eyes darted towards her and you stared at her biting your lip, like you did with me back in Germany." She blinked at him had he been memorizing her reactions?

"That's no reason to frighten her" she said quietly starting to dab the wound on his face gently.

"Is it wrong to wish you well?"

"No, but"

"Then it wasn't wrong, I was defending you like you did with me."

"Thank you then," she said giving up, "Just try and do it a little more calmly next time."

"Thank you," he said grabbing her hand gently, "For being there through all that."

"It,it was no problem" she said turning her head away from him feeling her face heat up again before she dunked the cloth in the basin on the table, but her held on to her hand fingers tracing around it curiously, she looked back at him but he was watching her, and her reactions like a cat. "What are you doing?" she asked smiling at him as if he was playing a joke on her.

"I know everything about your past and your reactions to most things, but not stuff like this." She stared at him, now she was starting to panic. He couldn't mean what she thought he meant. "I told you from the start I wanted to learn everything about you."

"But," she pulled her hand away from him, "you're in no state to do anything," she returned to pressing the cloth against his face.

"Why are you suddenly so embarrassed?" Loki asked raising an eyebrow at her. "I had expected you to get angry or yell at me."

"Proves you don't know everything about me," she said placing the cloth against his red stained eye.

"You never did mention any boys in your stories last night," he said thinking out loud, "Is it that you've never been embraced by a lover," he smirked at her almost evily.

"None of your business." Vera said automatically avoiding eye contact.

"Really? The men on your planet must be stupid."

"It's not like I've never been on a date or anything!" she yelled at him refreshing the cloth again. "I've been to clubs or whatever, and boys have tried to come on to me or what not but, none of them really attracted me." She said softly as she moved to a spot on his neck that had been splattered, but Loki moved and gripped onto the back of her head forcing her lips to touch his.

Almost instantly Sigyn pushed him off of her, surprised he had actually gone that far, he smiled at her as he sat up, "Attracted yet?"

**Okay! This should make it easier to write for now on, anyway I may be changing the rating of this fic soon not too sure the lemons could be coming… Anyway we'll see where all this takes me and go from there.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed it let me know if you think Loki's coming on too strong or whatever. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	18. Caught

Siygn stepped back anger boiling within her, "Why did you do that!?" she asked feeling her skin heat up as she backed away from his reach hands griping tightly on the cloth she had in hand. "That was…" she stopped herself before she could even admit how new it was to her, "That was weird! I'm trying to heal you and you….you…"

"I kissed you?" he said smiling widely at her reactions cocking his head to the side as he sat up to look at her. She frowned at him and narrowed her eyes, telling him she didn't like being teased. "If you're having that much trouble just mentioning the word, I'm going to assume that was your first one."

"What if it was?" She yelled back at him throwing her arms in the air. "Is it so wrong?" She said biting her lip.

"Don't hold back with me Vera," the use of her old name calmed her down a bit. "You know I hate it when you lie."

"And I hate it when you do stuff like this!" She said coldly grabbing the chair and bringing it over towards the bed. He watched her smile gone away from his face but his eyes had still sparkled with amusement. "How can I heal you if you do stuff like that?"

"You're done with my face aren't you? All that's left is the few splatters on my chest," Loki said nonchalantly as he smirked at her, "I promise I won't touch you again until you're done."

"Why are you even doing this type of thing to me?" She asked dipping the cloth yet again in the basin.

"I want to be the first person to see you react like this," he said thoughtfully eyeing her as she gently and cautiously treated the small patch on his shoulder.

"Is it really that interesting?" She asked confused as she moved to the spot above his waist.

"You lose your confidence, it's the unknown for you, " Loki's words and tone made Sigyn shake a bit. "There's not much that you aren't familiar with, and I've yet seen you take on the unknown without anger that is. You blush and are embarrassed when I touch you or kiss you, you don't know how to feel about that sort of thing."

"You don't kiss someone because of a reaction Loki, it's" she paused trying to think of the right word to say. "It's like you're toying with me, stuff like that must be done because of an emotion, not curiosity." A ripple of laughter erupted from Loki causing Sigyn's hands to pull back instantly.

"Why do you think I'm so curious about you?" He said smiling at her like she had been foolish, "You alone have stood up to me, caused me to think about my actions, understood me faster than my family could have hoped to, and saved me. You are the one thing I can't stop thinking about, I know everything about you and now I only want more, tell me this is not reason enough to do what I have done."

Sigyn stared at him unable to think clearly, he… he loved her? But they were… what had they been? He saved her, she saved him, but at the same time they angered each other to no end. She believed there was good in him after everything that had happened. Did that mean? Could she share the same feelings?

As she spaced out she had hardly noticed Loki leaning forward to kiss her again, as their lips met her thoughts became blurrier.

Yes, of course she did, he listened to her, he's changed, they made each other's lives better, helped each other when they were down. No, no where's the proof of those changes, he could be doing this to make her change her mind on changing him. But, he wouldn't do that, he hates seeing her hurt this, this is…

She pushed him away trying to clear her mind, "I.." he stared at her emerald eyes locked on to her. "I've never thought of you like that," she said catching her breath. "I'm a fool not to, we've both been so close recently and I threatened my own life to save you yesterday. I just, I don't know, are you changing Loki? Or is it just me falling into your hands like putty?" Her hands found their way to her forehead yet again. "How can I be sure? How can I be expected to do my job? How can I trus-"

He forced his lips on her yet again biting her lip making her gasp allowing his silver tongue to slip in to her mouth and explore it. Sigyn's face became scarlet, and she felt as if she was being manipulated, but at the same time she didn't fight it. A voice in the back of her head was telling her to stop but she wouldn't listen.

He broke his grasp of her and smiled at her mischievously loving her blank expression. "You never did answer my question, are you attracted to me?" His hand touched the side of her face gently tracing it with his fingers, smiling as that touch caused her to turn from him.

"Not, fair." She said finally coming to her senses. "I can't think when you do that!"

"Then doesn't that mean you feel the same?"

"I… don't know," she said placing the cloth back in its bowl. "I need time to think, I haven't slept this feeling could just be…" Loki's glare told her instantly to stop avoiding the answer. "I guess it does, but you can't just…" Before Sigyn could even blink Loki had grabbed her and shoved her against the wall and attached his mouth to hers, thought and logic melted away again and she felt her arms wrap around his neck, as he whispered in her ear.

"That's the answer I wanted to hear," he said nibbling on it smiling as she frowned. He was about to move to her neck when the door busted open.

"Lady Sigyn are you okay? We heard a cras-" Loki and Sigyn both stared as they saw Thor and Sif standing bewildered at the sight of them, she looked at Loki who just put his arm defensively over her chest for some reason. She looked down surprised to see that her shirt had been torn, had he done that without her noticing? Then she realized that he had actually been touching her breast over her bra in order to cover them, within that instance she felt anger and embarrassment all at once. He only smiled down mischievously at her reaction.

"Get off of her you beast!" Sif yelled stepping forward drawing her weapon but Thor placed a hand on her shoulder stopping her.

"What is the meaning of this Loki?" he asked his brother knowing Sigyn would be unable to speak.

"You wanted me to find my life back here again," Loki said turning to him looking bored, "I found it through her," He kissed her forehead as she tried to look away from Thor's expression. "Sigyn here just admitted that the feeling was neutral, I was rewarding her."

"Is this true Sigyn?" Sif said sounding shocked.

"I.." She stammered, looking at her feet, "I.." She looked at Loki who was giving her the don't lie face. "Yes," she said finally admitting her cloudy feelings before looking back at the two of them.

"We must speak with Father Loki, Sif please help Sigyn back to her room." She nodded still looking as if she was unsure whether to be angry or sympathetic towards her. Loki slowly lifted his arm letting Sigyn's slip underneath to cover herself. He gave her a silent look that told her that if she didn't visit him when he was done with his meeting, he would visit her.

The two of them left Sigyn and Sif alone, and the warrior walked over to her and gave her the cape she had worn to cover herself. "Thank you," Sigyn said still avoiding eye contact.

"Did he force you to say those things?" Sif asked gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"No, he didn't, I just… I'm unsure whether or not I really love him, we just have this attraction. " Sigyn said as she lead her out of the room and into the hall. "I lost it as soon as he kissed me."

"Be careful, Loki can do many things with his magic," Sif said cautiously to her. "But then again you've saved his life, who knows what that trickster's thinking."

**Okay done! Hope that wasn't too fast or out of character, please let me know if you think it was! Review too please it really helps me to want to continue writing. Thanks again everyone, Love YA!**


	19. Mom saves the day

Vera had just barely got into a new dress when Sif barged into her room looking panicked. "What's wrong," she rasped afraid to hear the bad news the warrior's face had told her she would be getting.

"Odin wants to see you now," Sif's tone did not ease Sigyn's stress.

"Oh god," Her hands went to their usual spot, "I knew it, I shouldn't have acted on impulse I should have,"

"Sigyn!" Her head turned to the angry armor wearing woman, "Get a hold of yourself, where is that calm and composed woman from this morning?"

"Back on earth!" She yelled back, "In Germany, she died the minute I took that damn oath! Meet Sigyn weak pathetic, just like Vera was, only she has no guts, and bends easily to the will of any Man who kisses her!" Vera's tone was as toxic as the grimace on her face, she gritted her teeth unable to hold back herself anymore.

Sif gave her a look of sympathy before guiding her out of the room and into the hall. "I do not know what the situation is, a guard came and told me to get you. I hope the best for you, even if you refuse to let out your own strength."

"Strength is muscle," Sigyn said sighing, "Courage is what I need."

"How did you muster it this morning?"

"I…" she thought back to the comments Forseti had made, "I was angry, somebody was being incredibly unfair so I told him off, that's just how it works for me. Odin's done no such thing, and been nothing but kind to me since I got here. He has every right to be mad at me I didn't do my job, I…"

"Do you love Loki?" Sif asked her stopping her in front of the huge doors grabbing her shoulders.

"I," Sigyn slipped back into her moment of passion with Loki trying to recall how it made her feel. The moment they had started really getting into it, she had been lost in it all, his taste, the way he whispered in her ear making her embarrassed, it was humiliating, but intoxicating. "I can't say for sure, whenever he would do anything romantic to me I… I just couldn't think straight."

"Did you like it when he did all that?"

"Yes," she said softly getting red, and avoiding eye contact.

"Then maybe you do," Sif sighed and let her go, "Just try and think of those feelings when you go in there, maybe it will help."

"Aren't you coming with me?"

"It is not my place," Sif said nodding to the guards who began opening the door for her, "Good luck Lady Vera." Sigyn smiled at the use of her own name and nodded before slowly walking into the throne room again.

"Don't you understand Loki?" She heard Thor's voice boom over the doors shutting behind her. "You are jeopardizing your imprisonment terms, doing something like this to Lady Sigyn?!"

"Her name is Vera," Loki snapped at him both surprising and stopping her from going any further. "And she isn't at home here, seeing how Forseti treated her during her time here; it will only be a matter of time before everyone does the same."

"And who's fault would that be?" Thor yelled back, "The guards know of what she and you have done, you have made this worse!"

"They were my actions!" Loki said turning to Odin as if to make the point clear.

"But I let you do it!" Sigyn said stepping in. "I was naïve and ignored the signs of attraction building between us!" She walked over in between Loki and Thor, and stared Odin in the eye nervously. "Just send me home, like Loki said if I'm not welcome here, I'll just end up making things worse."

"Then what will we do with Loki?" Odin's voice broke realization in her. "We are unsure of his changes, only you would have been able to see if he was becoming his old self. Your judgment in his improvements is now slanted." She heard footsteps to her left as Loki drew closer to her.

"What do you want me to say!" Vera cried out in anger, "I'm sorry I fell in love with your son when I'm supposed to fixing him? Or how about I'm sorry your son found value in something he once tried to rule over? I'd say he's already made plenty of changes just by this accident!"

"How dare…"

"What's going on?!" The three of them turned around surprised to see Odin's wife enter the room, "I hear my son has fallen in love with Sigyn, and your setting out to punish them?" She walked past them and towards the throne, hell had no furry like an angry mother.

"She has compromised her position, how can we…"

"If Thor hadn't met his mortal down in Midgard what do you think would have happened to us?" She said lowering her angry tone to more of a calm beseeching one. "What if this young lady is the same to Loki" Odin's expression softened as well as if he hadn't thought of that, Thor looked over at the two of them as if the thought just occurred to him to.

"There is still the issue of how this event is going to change the way Sigyn will be treated around here."

"You can just send her back to Midgard then," Frigga said smiling at her.

"And what of Loki?"

"Send him with her like you did me," Thor said nodding to the two of them. "No powers, living with the mortals and her should teach him everything he needs to know." Vera looked back at Loki who gave her a neutral look back.

"Then he shall stay and live with Vera, Thor shall check in on them every now and again to make sure he isn't causing trouble then."

**Okay this is it for today, I have a couple of plans to keep the story going for a while now so we should be good! Mini crisis diverted, thanks to smore9 and an old suggestion by Twili Princess Hyrule Queen. Thank you guys for helping me get inspired again, there will be longer chapters to come I promise, especially when Loki meets Jules. But for now REVIEW PLEASE!**


	20. Jules

**Okay guys new chapter time! WEE! Anyway I'm sorry for not updating on Monday but a lot of Math HW got piled up and well at the end of it I just didn't feel up to typing up what I had written during the day, but that's kind of good because it means a longer chapter for you guys! So without further ado, chapter 20!**

In a flash of blue found herself back in Germany in an alley way she had told Thor would be the best place to have the two of them spawn up again. As quickly as she had left for Asgard she was yet again back on Earth. Loki's powers had indeed been taken from him and put in the Emerald amulet that was tied around her wrist by a soft velvety cloth. She had been told that unless Loki had really changed it would be too heavy for him to even try and move off her hand.

She looked back at Loki to see how he had been reacting to the whole situation; he just gave her a neutral expression back, as if he had decided to get rid of any bitterness about his situation the night before. She motioned for him to follow not egger to break the silence that had formed between them, as she started walking towards her apartment. She looked back at him occasionally to see his reactions, but he stayed the same looking forward at her as if not wanting to look upon the streets he had once longed to terrorize.

As soon as they reached her apartment's door Vera saw a pink haired Jules jump up from her spot on their couch and walk over towards her, her expression at first was shock as if she had expected her to be dead, but it quickly changed to anger.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU? When I got better and was ready for my much needed Veri time, you were nowhere to be found! I called the school and they said a family member died and you had to go to New York and then I called your sister and she said she had no clue about that and that the school called her telling her that you were taking a short field trip to New York. "She stood in front of Vera waving her arms about in every direction as if trying to demonstrate her anger.

"Then the whole Alien's in New York thing happened and I was terrified. I thought you were dead! Why didn't you call or text me or email me? Hell, snail mail would be exceptional! And your poor sister I can't even, imagine what she's going through." Once she finished Jule's crossed her arms expecting an answer from Vera, ignoring or unaware of the strangely dressed man behind her.

"Have you heard yet about what happened at Königsstraße? "

"Of course, my first day back it's whatever body was talking abou-" She stopped in her tracks, "Oh my god you were there, weren't you?"

"It's a really, _really _long story…" Vera said sighing as she saw Jules eyes finally move to Loki.

"Who's that?"

"The alien who invaded," Loki replied coldly walking into the room ignoring Jules' gapping mouth.

"What?" she said looking back at Vera expecting an explanation. Vera let lose a sigh and explained quickly to Jules all that had happened within the past week and watched as her face became more and more dumbfounded at her experiences. Vera left out most of the details on why, they had been sent home and instead made her think that they just thought it would have been a good idea to repeat his brother's experience.

"I've heard of that name before, Sigyn…" Jules said after Vera finished. "I can't think of where from but I'll look it up later, but Veri… Can you actually handle that guy" She asked her looking concerned ignoring the fact he was only a few feet away examining one of Vera's paintings on the wall.

"I'm not sure how she handles you," he replied coldly back, to which Jules stuck out her tongue at him childishly.

"He's fine, no worries actually I kinda, have a favor to ask you." Vera said beginning to make her voice sound cheery. "Anyway you could possibly give Loki some of the extra old guy clothes you made for your last project?"

She frowned at the thought but Vera just kept smiling goofily at her and she caved in. "Fine, but that's all I'm doing to be nice to Mister Kidnapper over there, you may have softened up on him but I sure as hell ain't!" She said throwing her arms up and walking into her room.

Vera smiled and walked over towards Loki, "Sorry if it's not really a palace."

"Stark can't seem to give you a proper living space but he can build I giant skyscraper just to get his name known." He turned to her and frowned, "Remind me why I'm supposed to like him?"

"I'm lucky he let me get an apartment most scholarships limit you to a dorm." Loki was about to reply but was cut off by a tune coming out of Vera's room she walked into it and picked up her phone of her desk seeing who was calling,

Blocked number.

She hit the answer button and pulled her phone to her ear, "Hello?"

"Would you care to tell me why the hell your back here with Loki, Miss Haworth?" Fury's voice barked, she couldn't catch a break today.

"People didn't take to kindly to Loki's return and attempted to kill him, and due to my affiliations with him, Odin thought it would be a good idea to do the whole Thor earth thing all over again. He's powerless and there for harmless." She said quickly as she had rehearsed in her mind before she even left Asgard.

"Well that's good to hear," he said dropping the angry tone.

"I need a favor,"

"And what would that be?"

"Anyway you could pull some strings and have Loki enrolled into my school?"

"And Why would I do that?"

"Because you owe me for the kidnapping trauma that happened back in New York," Vera replied flatly.

"I'll email you when it's done."

"Do you have my email?"

"Yup."

"Should I ask how?"

"Nope."

"Okay then, thank you I guess."

"You're welcome."

"How's the rest of the motley crew?"

"Don't know, it's better not to keep tabs on them, had to go against some orders to get things done, best to let them hang low."

"But stalking me is okay?"

"We weren't expecting you back so soon, or for you to come back with him, I can send Tony a message, the man couldn't stay low if it killed him. I'm sure he'd want to pay you a visit or two, and if I get in contact with Steve I'll mention your back, he'd kill me if I didn't."

"Wait why would Steve kill you if you didn't tell him I was back?" At the mere mention of his name Loki found his way over to the doorway and stared at her now obviously listening in to her conversation.

"Well, you remember how he reacted to the first time I was going to put you two in a room together," Fury said as if spelling it out to her. "It took him a long talk to get to see things my way, and he only stopped because we had to move to talk about Natasha's breakthrough, and Tony mentioned that he only stopped arguing about you going to Asgard when Thor swore your protection. What's keeping him from stopping you now?"

Vera blinked at this, the thought about the Captain always trying to protect her hadn't occurred till now. "But he doesn't have any powers,"

"He's still a man Vera," Fury said nonchalantly, "Naturally, since you aren't trained like Natasha is you'll be weaker than he is. I can try and get a hold on her or Hawkeye to give you lessons but after their experience with Loki I'm not sure they'll be eager to help."

"Right, well I guess if you get a hold of Steve just tell him he can come over here and teach me how to fight some time or something."

"Will do," he said calmly, "Oh and Vera."

"Yeah?"

"I got my eye on you…" and with that the call ended and she left her room pushing past a curious Loki.

"Welcome to college."

"What was that about Steve?" Loki said frowning at her.

"If Fury can get in contact with him, he might swing by to teach me how to defend myself or something." She said shrugging.

"I can teach you that," He said following her closely behind, "Tell him not to bother."

"It was a blocked call," Vera said turning around crossing her arms, "I can't, and besides what's the matter with it, afraid I'll beat you up?" She asked sarcastically.

"I don't like the idea of him being around you." He said simply crossing his arms.

"It's just self-defense," She said crossing her's in response, "It's not like we'll be kissing."

"Have you ever seen someone fight close combat?" He asked still frowning but unfolding his arms and walking towards her, she backed up instinctively. "You fight using only your body," his voice had turned slippery and sly as he backed her into the wall. "Your hands must be tactical," he picked her's up slowly and gently, "and precise when hitting another's body, and when you get your opponent down you have to continue to _tackle_ them, to _touch _them, until they can't take it anymore and…"

"Am I interrupting something?" Jule's voice brought Loki's seduction to a halt and Vera's brain back to where it was supposed to be, her face flushing as he stepped away from her as Jule's shoved a pile of clothes on Loki. "Why don't you go size yourself up over there hot shot," she said glaring at him pointing at Vera's room demanding he change clothes.

"Please don't tell me everyone here is like her," Loki groaned to Vera not appreciating the interruption.

"Of course, they aren't! Nobodies like me! I'm one of a kind Cinderella." She said smiling at the new nickname she gave him before plopping back down on the couch, turning on the TV.

"Yet another thing I like about this world," he muttered sarcastically walking off to Vera's room to change.

"Thanks Jules," Vera said before she could reply or stick her middle finger up at him.

"Why are you sticking around with him," Jules said giving her a concerned look, "Don't tell me you fell in love with that ass whole…"

"What… why would you say that…" her eyes darted away from Jules who threw her hands in the air again, in a flipping the table motion.

"You're kidding me! How! Why?"

"I…I don't know all right keep your voice down."

"Have you guys done it yet?"

"WHAT NO!" Vera shrieked almost immediately.

"But you guys have kissed?"

"Maybe…" she said softly sitting down next to her.

"Figures the one time you actually meet somebody he's trying to take over the world." Jules replied running her hand through her pink pixie cut. "You need my taste in men."

"Cause Jocks and Frat boys suit me so well." Vera said sighing before giving Jules a mischievous grin, "Or do you mean _Lola?_" She said the name fancily so it sounded exotic and laughed as Jules gave her a stern look.

"Laugh all you want but for that girl I am a Lesbian any day." Lola had been the raven haired beauty Jules met while doing a nude modeling job for a little extra cash, they hooked up once in the art supply closet and well, get back together every Thursday. "And do not change the subject…" She stopped after looking over at Vera's room, Vera turned her head in surprise as well.

"Wow," was all she could mutter, he wore a green and black striped polo shirt and jeans, it had been the first time she had ever seen Loki in anything other than a suit or armor. He looked uncomfortable but cute and Vera swiftly walked over towards him, "Come on let's go meet your professors."

"Professors?"

**That's it for today READ AND REVIEW PLEASE! Chapters come out faster when you do!**


	21. Pepper's tips

Vera had been hard at work when her laptop had started ringing interrupting her watching of A Very Potter Senior Year. Reluctantly she paused the video getting some paint on her keyboard and checked who had been calling her. She blinked at the unknown username that had been blinking before her.

Wasn't it impossible to call someone without swapping contact info or asking for a contact request? She stared at the username, 'HotRod180' a picture of an sleek black car with flames painted on it was the persons Icon. She slowly drew her hand over the mouse and moved the cursor over the answer call button. Tony's face popped up on the screen.

She should have known.

"Vera! I heard you were back! How was Viking World or whatever?" He said as soon as she showed up on screen.

"Did you hack my Skype account?" She asked ignoring his questions moving her laptop closer to her work table. She couldn't afford to chat without working, all of the miss-adventures of the past week had left her seriously behind in her school work.

"He does that." She heard a women's voice off screen, soon a red headed woman was besides Tony looking at the screen as if to see who he had been talking to. "So this is the girl you said Loki has a crush on?" Vera's face quickly change to a bright cherry color.

"What did she just say?" She replied timidly unsure of how to react to such a comment, especially given the fact that now she had known it to be true. The woman shot a look at Tony who looked back between her and Vera as if he had no idea what she had meant.

"Tony here has been telling me all about mister crazy take over the world guy's interest in you. I'm Pepper by the way" She said quickly introducing herself before continuing. " He basically saved your life and forfeited the battle thing because of you, right? And then Thor took you to his world and well your back two days later. To me it seems either you royally screwed up, which after how Tony describes you seems unlikely or he had a crush on you and well someone found out."

Vera stared back at the woman trying to conceal the blush growing on her face again, her eyes darted away and she heard Tony cough and choke on a drink he had been drinking.

"So wait she's right?"

"Wouldn't be the first time" Pepper said giving Tony an all knowing look.

"I'm sorry, it's a long story I guess." Vera said sighing before continuing on to explain all that had happened up to this point.

"So he's staying at your house now? Where does he sleep?" Pepper asked, Tony had gone off to get himself another drink.

"I'm sleeping on the couch," Vera said sighing remembering the argument she had earlier with him. "He's a royal prince unaccustomed to that stuff so he refused when I offered it to him, then he pushed sleeping with me and I just took my pillow and refused to argue." Her neck had hurt because of it, and she didn't get too much sleep because of it. She hadn't gotten much of any sleep as of late, it was either nightmares or stress the past couple of days.

"Well that's charming" she said sarcastically, "What do you feel about all this then?"

Vera stopped twisting the metal in her hands. That was the question she had avoided answering for two days now. She had done her best to avoid Loki, showing him to his classes was the only time she was around him. Working late was just an excuse not to see and deal with the whole situation, it wasn't the smartest or kindest thing in the world but she didn't know how to feel about him.

Pepper saw the confused look on her face and sighed, "You don't know huh?"

"I feel strongly about him but, I don't know if I can trust those feelings, I want to believe he's changed, but what if I'm wrong. What if he starts changing again and I don't notice it because I'm feeling weird like this. Sorry, I have this weird thing where I can't say what's on my mind until I'm angry or afraid."

She raised an eyebrow at this, "Really? That's weird, I normally say whatever's on my mind all the time."

"I'm Jealous," Vera said honestly turning back to her work.

"Don't be it makes me a shitty liar." Pepper said smiling a little as Tony returned to Vera's view on the screen.

"Is girl chat over?" He asked looking at Pepper.

"Oh no, we were about to talk about our nails for an hour." She said smiling mischievously back at him.

"Oh joy," he said taking a sip of his drink.

"So have you heard from any of the others?" Vera said changing the subject as she reached for her paint brush.

"Oh me and Banner are still keeping touch,"

"The science buddies, makes me jealous."

"Have you heard from Steve?"

"How could I the man couldn't probably work a cell phone. He said he was going to take a tour of the country see if he could help anyone along the way, lone rider kind of stuff. If he heard about this stuff he would flip."

Vera's eyes widened at that, she hated the idea of the Captain hearing about the situation, she gave a panicked look at Tony, "Promise me you won't tell him."

"Wouldn't dream of it kiddo, whoever breaks that news to him is in for some trouble."

"You didn't tell me about that now," Pepper said looking a Tony eyes pleading to be filled in on the juicy story.

"Steve thinks of the kid like a sister, took a liking to her after Germany. So he's sort of against putting her in any danger, aka Loki."

"As if I would be the one to even dream of putting her in any harm," Vera turned surprised to see Loki in the room a little ways behind her, too far away from her laptop to be seen on camera.  
" That halfwit made her run off and in danger her life even more, I wanted her to stay where I could see her." Vera turned back to see Pepper's eyebrow raising and Tony frowning at the voice. He stepped close enough behind her an in view of the camera giving it a startling glare.

"So this is Mister Antler's huh?" Pepper said looking over at Tony.

"Yup, Mister high and mighty himself. How's it going Reindeer gam-" before he could finish his sentence Loki had hit the end call button and coldly looked over at Vera.

"You have time to talk to them?" he said bitterly not breaking his eye contact with her.

"It wasn't planned, I was working and talking, go home I'll be back soon." Vera said trying to turn back to her work but Loki grabbed her shoulder.

"Then do the same to me, just like what we used to do." Vera stared back at him the tone had been commanding which made Vera all the more go against him, but she knew better the look on his face had told her he had not been in the mood for her sass. She shrugged trying to keep herself neutral like she had been the past couple of days.

"Why have you been ignoring me Vera?"

"I'm not ignoring you we talked this morning right?"

"You were distant like you are now." He said narrowing her eyes at her before softly asking, "What's going on, why are you…"

"It's nothing I'm, I'm just trying to think okay." She pushed strand of purple paint stained hair behind her ear.

"About what?"

"Us." Vera said softly looking at him. "If there is an us if there should be, what am I feeling?"

Loki smiled a little at her as if what she had just said was like a child describing the Boogie Man. "Your fear of the unknown."

"It's not the unknown!" Vera snapped at him "I'm not scared of that, I faced you down didn't I? I'm scared of being in love alright?"

This caught him off guard; of course it did she avoided telling him about it back on Asgard about her sister's past relationships how she used to always fall in love with the wrong guy, it didn't seem important back then.

"What?" he said voicing his confusion as he stared at her blankly waiting for her explanation.

"My sister got in some rough relationships when I was around 5 and got into a long term abusive relationship with a guy until I was ten." She looked away from him not willing to see the look of sympathy on his face, anytime she had to talk to a school counselor or teacher about it she always got that look. "Most of the time I wouldn't see it but sometimes he made sure I saw just to drive a point. He'd hit her, she'd say she deserved it. She loved him that taught me early on that Love could be poisonous." She looked back at him making sure he had been paying attention, he just had that same blank look on his face though.

"So I avoided it, I never really talked or hanged out with guys until high school. I don't want to be caught up in what my sister was so I didn't date and turned down anyone who asked me out. I never was able to get close enough to anyone like this before, you're the first guy that I've actually…" She stopped pausing wondering what she was going to say next.

"What? That you've actually what?"

"Ne-never mind." She said turning back to her work but he grabbed her hand stopping Vera in her tracks.

"I would never hurt you," Loki said sounding repulsed by the idea.

"But you have," Vera said trying to break eye contact.

"That time when I was getting an answer from you? How many times do I have to tell you that I-"

"And when you killed Phil, and when you pretended to be Steve, and when you threatened Natasha. Hurting isn't just something physical, it can be verbal too Loki." Vera said coldly.

"You hold my past actions against me? I've changed!"

"You've changed?" Vera asked giving him the same vicious tone he had used with Natasha, practically mimicking the expressions he had held that day. "Then remove this bracelet-" she held her hand up in front of him and watched as his eyes fell upon the emerald jewel that encased his powers. His hand hovered over it cautiously, and she could see a glint of greed behind his eyes sparkle. "Remove it and I'll be sure I can trust you."

He moved his hand down and laced his fingers around the cool metal on her wrist gripping it slowly. He moved it up a bit Vera could see by his expression the accessory had been heavy to him and he was having trouble, but not as much trouble Odin had described he would have if he hadn't been ready.

"I… can't but Vera," His had moved from the bracelet to her face cupping it. "If you do this to me I never will be able to move it, you know as good as I do what effect you have on me." His face moved closer and Vera felt her inner turmoil melting as he got closer. "I love you, and I know you feel the same way about me, back at Asgard after a few kisses you didn't fight it."

"That's just it," Vera whispered afraid that at any moment someone would rush in again, "I couldn't think, that's bad," her language became simpler since she had been getting the feeling again. " I don't want to be hurt, I don't want to go through that again I…" He kissed her gently this time and she slowly closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him again. "If you hurt me, I'll …."

"I promise I won't."

**Okay that is it for today! Sorry I haven't written a while let's just say life has gotten hectic in the past few weeks. My brother got his girlfriend pregnant so he's marrying in her this April and I've been trying to help with all of the planning with my mom even though I'm in another state for college right now _ needless to say it's been Cra-Cra. Any whos thank you guys for sticking out and please re-read because I have some updates up. New ones shall be coming more spread out and not every day like they had been back in January now that it's closer to the end of the semester for me. **

**Please review and let me know if I handled Vera's acceptance of Loki okay.**

**Thank you guys as always for such amazing support I love everyone of you!  
**

**-Sami **


	22. The End?

**Okay so this may sound really crazy but just hear me out people. Do you guys ever wish Vera took another choice somewhere back down the road (Be it at Germany when Loki first appeared or During the final fight? ) Well, I've been thinking a lot lately about what would happen to her if she say went with shield, or actually was hit by Loki's attack in the first chapter, or say Loki didn't visit her. Then I came up with time lines a trails of events that would happen after each change in the story and well it interests me to no end ^_^ **

**So I've made an interesting decision, since we are nearing the end of The Grey Area (Sorry guys there's only so much I can do with it right now, I have a basic plot line right now and I know how it's going to end.) I figured after I finish this I'll start a project that is connected to this story called Vera's Path.**

**Vera's path is going to be an interactive story line for all of it's readers it'll start at The Grey Area and when you reach the end of the first chapter you will be given a choice. If you want Vera to stay in Germany keep reading the Grey Area, if you want her to go with Tony and Steve check out my profile and start reading Redemption. Want to see what happened if Loki did hit her with the Brain Drain power check out Liberty.**

**I'll also add some options with the final fight giving you the chance to see what would have happened if she chose to stay or was actually killed in the battle.**

**It'll take some time to have actually complete the story and all of its intricate branches and such but I think in the end it'd be cool to have something like this out there and will be well worth the wait. **

**But then again I'm not sure, if I were to do something like this do you guys think you'd like it? But Actually I'm going to end the Grey Area now, later on when I'm finished with the project I'll be able to continue into a sequel of the main plot line. So for that last chapter was all you'll get Now I will start writing the spin offs and branches in order to make the experiment work. **

** I hope you guys will continue to follow along with everything thank you so much for the success and reviews of this work I look forward to seeing what all of you think of the new experience!**

**Love,**

**Sami**


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